Grateful

As the Baby Boomer turned 72 years old this week, he is grateful–very grateful! Why?

I’ve often described my life using the Seasons of the Year–Spring, for my youth; Summer, for my young adulthood; Fall, for my later adulthood; and Winter, for my last years. At 72 years of age, I’ve certainly more than entered the Winter of my life. I’m a very fortunate man and I know it, taking nothing for granted, as tomorrow is never promised. There’s no doubt in my mind I’ve had a wonderful life, certainly with some regrets (I am human with human frailties), and, for the most part, have no unmet desires except for two.

I was raised in Arlington, VA in the 1950’s and 60’s by my parents where I was their #1 priority in the Spring of my life. They created structure with consistent expectations, standards, and accountability which has served me well throughout my years. Growing up in Colonial Village so close to our nation’s Capital during that time was a remarkable experience. I very much enjoyed and appreciated the education I received and the friends I made while attending Wilson Elementary School, Stratford Junior High School, and Washington-Lee High School. I still stay in contact and see many of those same friends to this day.

I graduated from college and began what would become a 32-year career in the supermarket industry during the Summer of my life. More importantly, I met the love of my life, La Bear, as we’ve now been married for forty-five years. Certainly, we began our family with the birth of both The King and Baby Bear. We were so fortunate La Bear wanted too and was able to stay at home raising our children. We’re also so very proud of our children as they’ve grown into two very responsible adults making positive contributions to our society.

During the Fall of my life, I completed my supermarket career and began a new 20-year career in the transportation industry. It was during this Season, at La Bear’s sound urging, to finally mature, quit “sipping the corporate Kool-Aid”, and rearrange my priorities placing family first.

Now, in the Winter of my life, I’m fully retired, have basically escaped society for all the obvious reasons, and concentrate all of my time and energy on family!! Certainly, in life, we do our best to endure challenges and loss. We find much of our time is devoted to doctor’s appointments and saying our final good-byes to loved ones and friends. Our focus is clearly on survival and enjoy our very small family.

I do a lot of reflecting and reminiscing now, I try to stay more in contact with old friends, I enjoy my music from “back in the day”, I rock on the front porch overlooking The Compound, I look into the sky and see the majestic clouds, I listen to the comforting sound of rain and see the beauty of a snowfall, I hold La Bear’s hand much more often and even steal a little smooch, I love and need our children more than ever before, I experience Biggs and Bitsy trying to keep me young by their “shenanigans”, and I know Master M makes my life complete as his Gampy! Truly, I’m a fortunate man!!

Birthdays and other holidays are friendly reminders of how precious life is and how it shouldn’t ever be taken for granted. I used to create 5-year plans, then 3-year plans, 1-year plans, monthly plans, and now moment to moment plans. I suppose that’s what being in the Winter of your life is all about always remembering tomorrow is never promised.

The true reason for this post is to thank Baby Bear for her tribute to me on my birthday this past Wednesday. It was heartfelt and she was so right in saying that I’d get a much bigger “kick” from reading her post than have a “big bash” and, yes, being more than a bit sentimental, it brought tears, lots of tears.

Finally, as noted above, I still have two desires which I truly wish they’ll be met. I want to live long enough for Master M to be able to remember me as his Gampy and I want La Bear to take at least one more breath than me as I couldn’t continue to live this life without her by my side where she’s always been!!