In one of the final episodes of "Parenthood", Craig T. Nelson's character responds to his son's complaints about being so harassed by the needs of his children and his wife, and the stresses of work by telling his son that he better enjoy these times because they don't last long. There was so much truth in that. My kids are all grown up now, the youngest of my natural children being 40 and the oldest almost 47, and my ten grandchildren ranging from 20 down to 1 year old. When I was a younger dad with four young children, sometimes they drove me crazy. I used to get all upset at the mess of seeing toys laying all around the house. At night, sometimes, I couldn't wait to have them all in bed asleep so that I could finally just relax with my wife. And although we see the kids fairly often nowadays, and spend time with the grandchildren, most of the time the house is quiet. I don't get that much satisfaction from the house being neat and orderly. I can get pretty nostalgic thinking about how our home, wherever it was (I was career military) was always noisy with happy children, and then as they got older, the house was filled with them and their teenage friends. I wish I would have better appreciated what I had, when I had it. And when I was younger many older folks told me how precious my time of life was then, and that I should relish it because it would not last forever. And like every other younger parent I felt more exhausted that elated at the time. My oldest child is now the same age I was when I "retired" from my first career as an Army officer. I remember thinking at that time that I was getting old, and now I see my son at that age.
I'm still pretty active, and try to be young at heart. I was out riding my motorcycle with some friends for the entire day. My wife and I just bought our first travel trailer and are enjoying getting into this type of "camping". Thank God that despite various ailments and medical challenges we are both pretty healthy, and still love each other after 49+ years of marriage. But I do get a bit sad and wistful about how quickly all these years have gone by. About how many things that were so important to me at the time, like new cars, and new TV's, and even a new firearm now mean so little as I see them for the petty and meaningless things that they are.
So now when I find I am getting worn out with the antics of my grandchildren, or when I tell my little dog that I am not interested in playing with her right at this moment, I try to stop myself and remember that these times also are, if I am lucky, the "good old days" and I sure better try harder to appreciate them and savor them because someday all of this will be gone, along with me.
Its funny that I will never likely go on like this to the people I love who surround me, but share these thoughts with my invisible friends on the internet on a gun forum.
