In thinking about what to write about this week, after skipping last week, I came up with “Live Life While You Can.” My mind was drifting to my 88-year-old Mom who has lived with us since my father’s passing, which was 16 years ago this month. My Mom has been struggling recently with the onset of dementia. She woke me up last night around 2 am to ask me about an old, deceased neighbor who she said was yelling at and bothering my younger sister. I sadly had to inform her that this could not be true because the neighbor had passed years ago. She looked puzzled and said, “I guess I was dreaming?” This has not been the first time something like this has occurred. It has happened much more frequently. Within the last week she has awoken me to that a Mr. Sullivan was looking in the window trying to get in the house. Or… “someone from Jewelry, Jewelry, Jewelry was trying to call her to tell her she won $16,000.” There was no Mr. Sullivan or a company calling her to award her money. Life was starting to pass her by. She can’t get out much anymore and is getting more and more restricted. She is losing her ability to live life. It is sad to witness.
I’m typing this as I await to tape the start of my second season of my first podcast – “Trophy Moments and a few Firsts.” I’m about to record my First remote guest from Southern California. The dichotomy of my mother’s current deteriorating position and my current good health as I continue quests to live life in exploring more Firsts hit me – Live Life While You Can. I can. My mom can’t. My mom can’t travel. She can’t work. She can’t visit friends. She is constant pain and on many medications. She can’t live her life the way she was used to or would like to. Her life is starting to slip away. At some point in ALL of our lives we will get to a similar point where living our lives will become a challenge or non-existent. So, please do not waste TODAY to … “Live Life While You Can!”