My grandfather passed away last week. Even though I am sad he is gone, I am glad that he had a very full 89 years and a relatively peaceful, painless death.
His death has really jolted me into understanding the mortality of my parents, who are turning 60 this year. SIXTY! I’ve always had this image of my parents as 50-something folks, and it’s sobering to think that they are, well, old, and getting older. There will come a day when I will have to say goodbye to them, just as they have said goodbye to my grandparents.
It’s that realization that made me sadder than even my grandfather’s death. It’s also that realization that made me decide to not put things off to “tomorrow,” and instead, take steps to do things today.
One of my goals is to go on more family trips with my parents and CB and I. When I was young, my parents and I would go on small vacations (a day or two over the weekends). By the time I entered high school, however, family vacations stopped because we all just got so busy. I’m going to change that! So this Memorial Day weekend, I am planning a trip for the four of us. It’s going to cost some money – flights for 4 are not cheap on a long holiday weekend – but the way I look at it, these next 10 years are going to be prime family travel years for my parents and I, and the time to start is NOW.






