One by one they leave us

[vito]

I'm getting to that age where hearing about an old friend, acquaintance or colleague passing away is becoming more and more frequent. I'm 74 and hoping I have at least another 20 good years left in me, and maybe a few not so good ones after that since my Mom is still alive and is 103 (although she is now in end stage Alzheimer's Disease). Just this week I was told by a friend about an old Army colleague, a few years younger than me, who just died recently. I used to have 22 first cousins, and now I am down to 6. Several of my old high school buddies are now on the brown side of the grass.

I am trying to use this situation to remind myself every day that life is precious, and to be grateful each morning that my eyes open and I can still enjoy life. I can go to the gym, or take a long walk with the dog, ride my motorcycle when the weather gets better, go to the range a few times a month, and best of all, spend every day with my best friend and wife of now almost 52 years. But it does sometimes get me down a bit to have to come to grips with the reality that our days are not unlimited.

Thinking about all of this, I have decided that maybe the answer is to get that second motorcycle I have been thinking about, and maybe to stop "thinning" my small number of guns and just get the ones that I have often thought about. Money is just money, but time is everything.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Good points. Might as well enjoy your life

 

[bogus bill]

Your right on all counts. I am a couple months from 77 and my health is nothing to brag about. I just live by faith. Dad died at almost 90 with alzheimers . The surprising part is to read the obits and see 3/4 of them younger than me. I had a brother in law who "looked" like the picture of health. Not a ounce of fat, worked out, ran, vegetarian, ran his boys like a drill sergeant, and worked as a Lab Tech in a heart hospital. Sister dropped him off at work and he died of a heart attack right there in the hospital lab with the best heart doctors working on him. He was about 44 years old!

 

[Fox Mike]

I was speaking about this very thing about a week ago. In the last year I have 'buried' four of my old Army buddys. What is 'interesting' is that of the four only one was older than me. I arise daily and give thanks.

 

[Jeepnik]

Tis true, several old friends have left. But as was pointed out, better to be the one left than the one leaving.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

AND WHEN I DIE
Blood, Sweat, & Tears

(Slightly pruned to suit my thoughts)

I'm not scared of dying,
And I don't really care.
If it's peace you find in dying,
Well then let the time be near.
If it's peace you find in dying,
And if dying time is here,
Just bundle up my coffin
'Cause it's cold way down there.
I hear that its cold way down there.
Yeah, crazy cold way down there.

And when I die, and when I'm gone,
There'll be children born
In this world to carry on,
to carry on.

Now troubles are many, they're as deep as a well.
I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell.
Swear there ain't no heaven and I pray there ain't no hell,
But I'll never know by living, only my dying will tell.
Yes only my dying will tell.
Yeah, only my dying will tell.

Give me my freedom for as long as I be.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me,
And all I ask of dying is to go naturally.
Oh I want to go naturally.

 

[bogus bill]

The thing that worry's me most about dying is my wife is about 17 years younger than me and not able to work. More bad, we got married AFTER I retired and my company retirement stops when I croak. On top of that just the health insurance on her is about $120 a month more than my company retirement check!
As far as I go, I am one of those who already should be dead fifty times so every day is and has been a bonus for at least the last fifty years. My stupidity or whatever always got me in trouble and no thanks to me, the Lord and/or the guardian angels he sent always got me out. We all are facing death unless the lord returns first and that is getting closer every day too.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Well, Here we are in February; What a GREAT month to be born in; somebody had a good time around nine months ago and then came the wonderful month of February and there was ME. Dang that was 77 years ago come the 27th of the month. It must be a great month to be born in, my little brother shared it with me as do my Daughter and oldest son (18th, 21st and 24th).
Pisces are wonderful people !!!

 

[CGDustDevil]

I'm getting to that age where hearing about an old friend, acquaintance or colleague passing away is becoming more and more frequent. I'm 74 and hoping I have at least another 20 good years left in me, and maybe a few not so good ones after that since my Mom is still alive and is 103 (although she is now in end stage Alzheimer's Disease). Just this week I was told by a friend about an old Army colleague, a few years younger than me, who just died recently. I used to have 22 first cousins, and now I am down to 6. Several of my old high school buddies are now on the brown side of the grass.

I am trying to use this situation to remind myself every day that life is precious, and to be grateful each morning that my eyes open and I can still enjoy life. I can go to the gym, or take a long walk with the dog, ride my motorcycle when the weather gets better, go to the range a few times a month, and best of all, spend every day with my best friend and wife of now almost 52 years. But it does sometimes get me down a bit to have to come to grips with the reality that our days are not unlimited.

Thinking about all of this, I have decided that maybe the answer is to get that second motorcycle I have been thinking about, and maybe to stop "thinning" my small number of guns and just get the ones that I have often thought about. Money is just money, but time is everything.

You got that priority just right, vito!

 

[Fox Mike]

Well, Here we are in February; What a GREAT month to be born in; somebody had a good time around nine months ago and then came the wonderful month of February and there was ME. Dang that was 77 years ago come the 27th of the month. It must be a great month to be born in, my little brother shared it with me as do my Daughter and oldest son (18th, 21st and 24th).
Pisces are wonderful people !!!

My oldest was (he is deceased ) the 14th, my wife is the 18th, and my second son is the 22nd. Of course my youngest son and share the same day. .6 May. That makes Taurus special also.