I am about to utter words never before exiting my mouth: "Last night, my wife and I took our daughter to a martini bar." Believe me, that feels strange to think about and even worse to see it in pixels.Last week, daughter Collette celebrated her 21st birthday with three of the best, best friends anyone could ever have. It's like I have four daughters. With an "adult" designated driver deployed, we weren't worried in the slightest. (Well, maybe about a possible hangover, but that didn't materialize either.) Many thanks to the mother of one of her friends, Jenny, for being the "Driving Diva."
Why do I share this?
Because the martini bar realization has now become another milestone on the Retirement Countdown. To use a carpenter analogy, her 21st birthday was like tapping the nail with the hammer to set it. The martini bar was the hammer that drove it in.
Am I getting old? Sure. Collette lovingly jabs me with that statement frequently. It is the maturing and "rights of passage" when kids provide different perspectives to parents. My perspectives continue to change (mostly for the better, thank you!) as the kids, wife Margaret and I "mature." Things that used to be important no longer matter and things that were never a concern before are now vital. Age seems to do that.
Does this align at all with your perspectives? If you are reading this because you have an affinity for the Retirement Countdown, have you experienced anything similar? I'd enjoy your perspectives.
Dave
4 comments:
The Oregon lottery began about the same year my daughter turned 18 years old. I thought I'd buy a few tickets to put with a birthday present for her.
I wasn't sure if you had to be 18 or 21 to cash in a winning ticket, so I asked the clerk how old you had to be to play the lottery. He took one look at me and said, "You're old enough"!
:-)
Parental Unit #2,
Last time I checked... you have the heart, and often mentality, of an eight year old.
Growing older but not up... that's you. And actually, I think you are decreasing in age... just ask the WiiFit!
Cheers,
BloggerDaughter
What a nice thing to say (even though you are somewhat captive as a blogging audience member.) There is a difference between being childish (I know I do that from time to time - just ask Parental Unit #1) and being childlike.
I prefer the latter.
Life is complex and difficult - but it is also refreshing and uplifting when seen through the eyes of a child. Something none of us have an opportunity to accomplish often enough.
Older but not up. I'll take it!
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