However the discussion of the circle of life never really entered into the discussions. The words of the song appear like this:
This week begins another transition in our lives. Not sure I have grasped the total reality of everything that will take place. It has come the time for my mother to move in with us. She is calling it an extended visit. The Circle of Life. For now we are letting her call it a visit but she needs someone to watch over her now she is at the age of 80. There is nothing wrong with growing old...we all do it. When we get older we begin to forget things, we have more illness, we have more medicines, we cannot get around quite like we used to. Nothing wrong with that....it is better than the alternative.
As a teenager, my grandmother (my mom's mom) came to live with us in Oklahoma for many years. Teenage boys are not the most energetic individuals about sensitivity. I had older siblings growing up and by the time I was in elementary school, most of them had grown up and moved away. I had the house to myself. My mother and father worked in their tax business and I often times found myself home alone. Pretty typical for right after school. During the tax season, my parents often worked late in the evenings and I was home alone then as well. It was either that or stay up at the office with them....no thanks.
So when my grandmother came to live with us, my territory was invaded. It actually wasn't that dramatic. I just had the rule of the house and now I had someone to chat with instead of being alone. I wish I had taken the opportunity to write some of her stories down. It would have been great (now) to recount her life growing up. She was the only grand parent I ever got to meet so it was special. Looking back I can say that the only thing that really irritated me about her was when she took over the remote control. Television was her life....isn't that so true about older folks.....the television is their connection to everything. She had to watch Little House on the Prairie or The Waltons. Those were not the favorite shows of a teenage boy. And back then we only had one TV. Isn't it strange that years later I marry a girl whose favorite shows growing up were just those!
My grandmother went up to my aunt and uncle's home in St. Louis for the remainder of her days and unfortunately I never got to see her again. I never even made it to her funeral. A very sad accounting now that I think about it. I missed out on a lot.
As a father, we have gone through the mass Exodus of all our four kids. Okay, again a bit more dramatic than actually occurred. It just happened. My wife and I had our children pretty young and they just grew up. I can honestly say that I wasn't really sure that I was ready for that. It has probably affected me far more than my wife. One by one each left for college or for the mission field and then marriage and now making their home. Currently two are married, one lives near us in Norfolk and the other in Colorado. One is just finishing up a mission work in South America and will soon be headed back to Texas to finish up school. I expect a wedding announcement soon.....I probably shouldn't say that on here....oops. And finally our daughter just announced her wedding plans for January. Basically all of them no longer live in our home. It was always our intent to have them grow up and send them out of the nest.....what would be the alternative?
We are actually very proud of them all. It is exciting to see them begin their lives and careers......and I am sure families soon too. Don't call me grandpa yet.....however I believe that my grandpa name has already been coined as "PAPA T". A spin off of MR. T and COACH T from the younger days. At 46 my wife and I had found ourselves as empty nesters. As first, tragic. After we got used to it...okay, after I got used to it.....later.....it was kind of nice. We could go anywhere at anytime....nobody to report to...except for MAVRICK.
As a son, now yesterday I spent the day home from work preparing my daughter's old room for my mother. It is painted a bright cheerful turquoise. I cleaned the room, made adjustments for the lighting and heat, and prepared the bathroom for her needs. This will be a transition for us but I think it will be very nice. Different but nice. There will need to be time for all of us to make adjustments....even the dogs....they need to learn how to get along and share their bones.
Later this weekend, we will get her a cell phone, set up her computer with Facebook and an email account (she is baulking a bit at me on this one but I think it will be good. We need to keep her mind busy and active. TV will not be her only outlet. She can connect with friends and family from all over. It wont be that complicated....she is a smart lady, just hasn't had the need to use it in awhile) We will be making a few repairs around the house, many of the things we were wanting to do anyway. I just need to get them accomplished now.
I am excited, and happy....my mommy is here. After all the years of her watching over me and taking care of all my needs, I get to help her.....It is The Circle of Life. I don't intend on wasting these moments. This will be a great Christmas! Take care my friends.
0 comments:
Post a Comment