Being old, the good and the bad

[ancient-one]

Good: You lived through a depression that really made you appreciate the years that followed and the good things that came your way. Living in a time span that this Country will never again see. Serving your Country when the need was great. Raising a family with little fear of violence in your neighborhood. Having decent employment. So many other blessings.

Bad: Seeing our country being torn apart with few good remedies. More body parts wearing out and not obeying signals from the brain. Hating that your time has to be coming soon but also realizing that you are fortunate to have been here so long. Not really wanting to leave those that you love and enjoy so much. Oh yes! wishing that you could erase some of your mistakes.

 

[Bugkiller99]

The good:
Posting your wisdom so us young whipper snappers can read and learn from your experiences.

 

[Deceasedeye]

My wife died 4 yrs. ago on July 27, we were 3 days away from our 51st. Anniversary. Listen up fellows, no matter how much you love your wife, you are not loving her enough. Get busy, make loving that woman your number one purpose in life. If she goes first your will still think you could have loved her more. Vern Gosden sang a song that said "You'll never know what lonesome is till it's carved in stone."

 

[Sistema1927]

After 42 years I am still trying to master that whole "love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" thing. I have come a long way, but I still have a long way to go.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Those here that know me know how much room Ruthie occupies in my heart.

 

[Golddollar]

The good:
Posting your wisdom so us young whipper snappers can read and learn from your experiences.

This is the electronic version of my late dad's saying, "If the older generation didn't pass along its knowledge to the younger generation, we'd still be living in caves."

 

[grover99]

When you are of an age that the years left are far less than the years passed one starts to think about what you did right and what you did wrong. Hopping the right out weight the wrong. The time has passed to say I will get that done tomorrow or next week or even next year. There may be none of those left. I can look back and say I did it as well as I could do at the time. Only one real regret is that I never had a little girl to love and raise. I have a son who is a wonderful person with a great family of his own but still a little girl would have made my life perfect. I do have a great granddaughter who is a national ranked volleyball player. So much for my geriatric wanderings. I lived my life, left behind great prodigy. What more can one ask for.

 

[Golddollar]

Being old: It means you're still alive. You decide if that's good or bad.

 

[steelslaver]

Hey I am gonna turn 69 tomorrow. This week jack hammered out a couple yards of concrete, used a Bobcat to dig out and move about 10 yards of hard packed gravel from one spot to another, so I could form up for a 15'x31' and a 25'x24' concrete pours, wired in the rebar and wire mess and floated a 6 mile chunk of the creek 3 times on a float tube.

Got stiff and sore some. But really, so, far so good.

I have had the serious misfortune of loosing a son and two good women in my life. They will always be in my heart and looking after me. I figure they are the reason I was able to find yet another great woman and enjoy having a couple teen age step daughters around at my age and helping them figure out life.

I think about the stuff I did wrong once in the while. Made a few what could be looked at as whopper mistakes I guess, but hey they made me who I am now and I like who I am now so I figure I am way ahead of that game.

Life can suck at times and you can wallow in it or when it knocks you on your butt, get up and get going again.

 

[Rustyt1953]

To quote Joe Nuxhall ( the old left hander) "I'm roundin' third and heading for home."

I know my time is short so I have no time for engaging the 80 grit, alum-drinking vinegaroons of this world. My outlook is to spread as much cheer as I can to all those I encounter.

Remember, it takes less energy to smile than it does to slam your eyebrows down over your top lip.

 

[ancient-one]

My wife died 4 yrs. ago on July 27, we were 3 days away from our 51st. Anniversary. Listen up fellows, no matter how much you love your wife, you are not loving her enough. Get busy, make loving that woman your number one purpose in life. If she goes first your will still think you could have loved her more. Vern Gosden sang a song that said "You'll never know what lonesome is till it's carved in stone."

I know what you mean. Mine died 7 years, 93 days and 17.5 hours ago. If not for my daughter, as I have said before, I would probably would not be hanging around.

 

[hsguy]

You cannot erase the mistakes so don't dwell on them. Live every day making it positive for those you love. Be kind, gentle and accepting of all.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

"Old age is hardest for those who never grew up in the first place."

 

[Kinman]

"I pity the youth that have not had their metal tested by the shaping hand of adversity." I don't know where he picked that up but it was one of my father in law's favorites.

 

[MRB1]

I enjoy being old. There's some things I think I'd differently, but overall, I'm satisfied with the past. I tried my best, and hope I didn't make too many people unhappy. Looking forward to eternity.

 

[redlevel]

To quote Joe Nuxhall ( the old left hander) "I'm roundin' third and heading for home." .

OT, but I believe Nuxhall was the youngest person to play in a big league game at age 15. War years, 1944 I believe, and a bunch of the veteran players were in service. Nuxhall did have a decent big league career, winning 125-plus games as a pitcher.

 

[Benchrest1]

I wouldn't mind getting old if my body wasn't wearing out and breaking all of the time.

 

[WardenRoss]

After 42 years I am still trying to master that whole "love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" thing. I have come a long way, but I still have a long way to go.

I believe that Ephesians 5:25...

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

...means to love your wife the same way Jesus loves The Church as its Prophet, Priest and King.

Prophet - Your are the faithful witness of God in your home

Priest - You intercede to God on behalf of your family

King - You are the good ruler of righteousness and strength in your home.

Yes, it's a high calling and not taught correctly in our modern society.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Anyone who complains about growing old, stand in front the Vietnam Wall for say an hour, then we'll talk about it.
Yes, we've had a couple of generations that never had it so good, maybe that's the problem. A man born between say 1935-1940 might have a child's memories of WWII, too young for Korea
, too old for Vietnam, lived through all the nation's good times and very few of the bad, enjoyed all the benefits of peace and prosperity, never really had to sacrifice for it.
And if you grow old and gray and sick, if that body that you abused with alcohol and drugs and sexual licentiousness and didn't take care of with exercise is sore and achy and needs lots of attention and you can't get to the doctor because those children whose ball games and other activities you never attended because you were too busy drinking, and when they needed money for college and anything else and all you gave them was big lectures on "growing up" and "learning to take responsibility" refuse to use their valuable time chauffeuring you around, if you want to know who's responsible-look in the mirror.

 

[sheepdawg]

OT, but I believe Nuxhall was the youngest person to play in a big league game at age 15. War years, 1944 I believe, and a bunch of the veteran players were in service. Nuxhall did have a decent big league career, winning 125-plus games as a pitcher.

Reminds me of the days under the blanket listening to St. Louis, Harry Caray and Jack Buck on the old Zenith. Cardinals played the Reds a lot. Musial was one of the batters he faced at 15. Nuxhall said he realized he was in the bigs when he looked up and there was Musial. Musial singled to right.

I remember this one in the collection.