All these years.

"All these years
Where have I been
Well I've been down the road to work and home again
And I'm still here
Until I'm gone
Don't you rub it in too hard that I've been wrong
All these years."

The one thing we all have in common is the more we try not to get older, there is no way of stopping it.

As spring is trying to approach, and remain consistent here in the Midwest, it reminds me of something that has happened every year of my life. I get one year older---my birthday just passed. It's okay, there is nothing I can do about it except not act my age. Actually, I think I do a pretty good job of that---sometimes I act older, rarely, but mostly I act much younger. Not always for the good, but still I have a difficult time looking at life through the same scope as perhaps my father did at my age. I am 100% sure, he had a much more mature outlook than I do---perhaps that's because I am the youngest in my family and even though he was as well, he is still much more mature that I will ever be.

I was talking with a friend the other day who had lost one of his parents when he was 4 years old, and the other a few years back. It was hard to imagine what it would be like not to have known, or remembered, one of your parents---no memories, no interaction, only an old photo or two. 

He went on to tell me how much in common he had with his Dad as he grew up. We were talking about Disney World, probably his favorite place in the world, and his daily actions when he and his family were there. He would get up as early as possible, arrive at the gate before Mickey and Minnie made their entrance---and would leave as they were putting the locks on for the night. They did this for 10 days---his wife and kids were spent, he was still raring to go.

Where did he learn this exhaustive behavior? From his Dad. 

Like his father, he loved roller coasters, the thrill of being pushed to the limits, and he wanted his family to do the same---whether they were ready or not. With two daughters and his wife in tow, you could just feel the love and energy of life going through him as he described the experience he had and the memories planted deep within him. The funniest part was when he described where he and his wife went on dates---"We went to Great America and had a season pass...it was great." It takes a special person to meet a special person who can understand his passion---she does.

As I reflected on the conversation we had, and the 4-month difference in age between us, it made me understand why he is someone I enjoy talking to when we see one another; it really helps that our daughters are the same age as his but it's the connection we have in our passions that complement the two of us---swapping life stories. 

I am going to visit my Dad in the next few weeks; I would like to say that aging has avoided him, but I can't. He is still the same man I have known and loved  all of my life, but now is the time to make sure I spend precious time with him; I have not seen him during the past several months and am not feeling very good about it--- I know the time together will one day be a memory. One I want to treasure and keep with me.

The photo above was taken last year at Six Flags outside of Chicago. One of the few rides I can still go on that goes in circles, I know that after "all of these years" of getting older, I can still get on board and live memories of days gone by.

Thanks for stopping by.