By Marc S. Axelrod
Stuff happens. We know that.
Mostly, stuff happens to other people. Like, “Oh, did you hear what happened to Pick A Name?”
What we don’t know is how we’ll react when it’s our turn.
Not going to happen to you?
Well, if that’s what you think, don’t look behind you because something may be gaining on you.
This is not a morbid conversation. It’s a natural progression that we are all on.
They call it life.
The good thing is we get to live it. And it is pretty rewarding sometimes.
The other day I played tennis and didn’t lose my serve once. Played as well as I can play.
That’s a big deal to me. Maybe not so much for you, but I loved it.
Small victories in life make it worth living.
The battles we face as we age can be pretty daunting. We all know someone who was just like us and either isn’t here any longer or won’t be for long.
Those who are affected fight the good fight as best they can. All we can do is offer our support. It doesn’t feel like much, but a simple phone call or text goes a long way.
That ultimate battle is a predetermined loss.
But what about the battles we face each day – and win.
Now we’re talking.
If we don’t enjoy the good stuff we have, the bad stuff will seem that much worse.
These are The Grandpaw Chronicles. The underlying suggestion is that as a Grandpaw, I, like you, have lasted a while, done a bunch of things in life, and generally done alright.
But have we really enjoyed ourselves?
Take a minute and think about that. Can’t say it was 100% of the time. That would be impossible.
But overall, the hope is that we can all say, “Absolutely.”
And that’s important.
We all know what’s down at the very end of the road.
But why waste time and energy thinking about that great equalizer.
Again, these are The Grandpaw Chronicles. And being in that stage of life, something becomes very clear.
The reward you are given for all the hard work you did and the sacrifices you made to create and support a family in this bizarre world are… grandchildren.
If you haven’t enjoyed yourself enough yet, here’s your chance. Help those little miracles grow.
Simply sitting with your arm around your miniature ones watching TV or playing video games can, as Maynard G. Krebs used to say, get you all misty.
There is absolutely nothing better than that stuff.
And that’s the stuff we want to happen to us all.