I spent the day with my father today. He's always been pretty gung-ho, he's married to a woman half his age and he's forever going hiking across the countryside and whizzing off to foreign climes.
But I looked at him today and I realised he's an old man. Tetchy and slightly batty, and he dozed off after lunch. And he's sick.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
12 comments:
A chip off the old block ?
Mate, that's just age. It's gonna happen to all of us. Shit I know, but true shit all the same
How old is he in years?
I what way is he sick?
@DavidNcl: He's about 70, which isn't really all that old. But for the first time, I looked at him today and saw an old man.
He's coughing. A year ago, I would have teased him about it. But today I didn't feel at all comfortable about it.
"Why are kids scared of me?"
I'm exactly the same age as you father and I just can't imagine why.
Don't sweat it. My old man's 71 and a right morbid bastard. Funnily enough he gets ill every christmas since I began earning a few bob. A comment's normally passed about it "possibly being our last Christmas" so I get all worried and get him a nice present and spend a load of time 'round there.
Strangley we worry about our mothers and fathers but one of my most feared things is to outlive my children. That really does bring a tear to my eye and I know he's the same...
OTC - it's shit but life.
My dad died aged 83 ten years ago. I miss him lots. I still talk to him in quiet moment when I know he would have helped me with things. My mum died on 30th December last year and she shouldn't have done due to NHS incompetence (it was too early, she wasn't ready) and this Christmas we are going to be bereft without her.
Hey man, all I can say is spend as much time with him as you can, while you can.
I will be there one day and my wish is that I leave this country - and this world - to my children in a state that I would find acceptable for them.
Keep blogging and pushing and keep your chin up, bud.
Some years ago I bought a cine camera and made a short film of my mum who was then into her 70s, almost my age now! She is now long gone, but that five minutes of film is among my most treasured possessions. Enjoy him while you've still got him.
Being tetchy and dozing off after lunch makes you old?
Jeez. I'm doomed.
"He's about 70, which isn't really all that old. But for the first time, I looked at him today and saw an old man."
Funny, isn't it? I can happen overnight - you look at the person you saw yesterday, and see something....different.
Agree with alan_swindon:"Hey man, all I can say is spend as much time with him as you can, while you can."
Never a truer word.
Yes, get as much quality time in as you can, plenty of photographs too. He may well last another decade or two, but he might not, and you can't make time run backwards, so don't take the chance, grab what time you can.
The Penguin
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