After spending that long traveling and visiting with them, I have decided to start a notebook. This notebook is not a journal, but will be a list of "HOW NOT TO ACT WHEN I AM OLD". For instance:
#1 - Always remember that you are OLD. Your body is old. It does not feel nor act like it did 10 years ago. Remember that you cannot walk, act, nor keep up with your adult children who are much younger than you. If they say it is too far to walk somewhere, it is too far for YOU.
#2 - If someone asks you if you would like to hold their arm when you walk, it is probably because you do not appear steady on your feet. You may be doing one of the following: swaying when you walk, not able to walk in a semi-straight line, panting or wheezing as you walk, making people question if you are on medication that makes you dizzy or if you have been drinking.
#3 - You do not always have to be right. You may be old but alas, you do not know everything. This also means that you do not have to insist that you are right over and over and over, when your spouse is insisting that you are wrong over and over and over.
#4 - Aruging constantly with your spouse erases all the happy, golden years when your children thought your marriage was almost perfect.
I'm sure there's more that I could add, but I started getting carried away and had to stop myself. :0+ If you have any ideas, leave a comment.
6 comments:
5. Remember that although you are old and wise, your adult children have grown up and are ADULTS! While they may not be 80, most of them are at least 50, and that should count for something! They have wisdom too, and many cases have already raised their own children!
6. Remember that as you age, you sometimes lose a little of your appetite. Make sure you eat healthy food THREE TIMES A DAY!
Oh, and I was really glad this wasn't a post about the movie "the notebook" because I thought that movie was depressing. :)
Keep going. You are right on track. Although you might add how much it distresses your children when you argue constantly about everything.
6 Remember there are consequences for everything. You taught your children that there are consequences to their actions, so remember if you don't follow dr.'s orders or common sense as you age, you may pay some consequences, too, like being laid up in the hospital or care center with a brokwn hip.
I dunno - maybe it's fun to drive your kids crazy - I still plan on dying my hair pink and beating people with my cane when they make me mad ;>
How about: Don't kick your kids' dogs, even if you don't like them.
7. If your grandkids are scared to come to your house, something is wrong--with YOU.
8. Just because the movie made in 1932 was good then does NOT mean your grandchildren (or even children) will want to watch it at 1:30 in the afternoon--or any other time.
9. Whatever ailments you have (or have read about in books, magazines, etc.) do NOT simply jump to your family. Sometimes a sneeze is just a sneezze.
10. If you have something critical to say, say it loud enough for the person who needs it to hear it. Do NOT say it loud enough that your deaf cousin across the room knows exactly what you said.
11. If you start cooking, and more than one person around you says, "eew," perhaps you should look at what you just did.
12. Canes and walkers should remain on the ground when the owner is in motion.
13. Falling once or twice can be normal. Falling once or twice a day is a serious problem.
I'll think about this....
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