I’m 70 years old and rarely does a day go by that I don’t think about my mother and father. Oh how I would love to go back into time and reclaim those years that I took for granted. With the wisdom that accompanies the retrospectoscope I realize how precious and special they were. But of course that is what the years bring to us, the wisdom to appreciate that which is has past, family, friends, community, and perhaps greatest of all, freedom from responsibility. My childhood was wonderful and glorious because my parents carried the burden of responsibilities for me, for themselves, my grandfather, and the farm. I realize now, in the latter years of my life, that for them, the years were tough and trying, and that they protected me from their struggles.
I cannot help but feel some degree of guilt for not realizing this sooner, but mostly I feel gratitude, gratitude to them for being the parents that they were and giving to me all that they did. I imagine they knew that my turn to shoulder responsibility would come soon enough.
Graduation from Jefferson Medical School....1965
2 comments:
I'm 57 and your post pretty much sums up my feelings toward my parents as well. I'm also reminded of Joni Mitchell's lyrics:
Don't it always
seem to go
that you don't know
what you got
till it's gone?
Beautiful, moving tribute. It mirrors my own gratitude to my parents who went through hell and highwater to put me through college. Always great to come by this inspiring site.
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