Chazmo

These are great thoughts, folks.

The definition of family seems to undergo some upheaval in every generation. I won't try to say whether one is better than another. I will simply say that I agree with Dex that keeping a family intact with caring and love is difficult.

Any of you ever read "Future Shock" by futurist Alvin Toffler? Very interesting read, at least in this area.

ralper

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dex9

Dex9

I always thought that the life and death of Howard Hughes is another extreme 'object lesson'...

I've also heard it said 'we spend the most time on the least important things'...
a post-modern dilema after deconstruction: life doesn't comes w/ an Owner's Manual in the glove compartment...no chapter on parenting, no chapter on being a child...it's all relative (pun intended). No wonder the mess....

ralper

Another one that I like

paS2K

I never made the time to *really* enjoy my own parents in their elder years

Now, I rather enjoy my mother-in-law....90 last August....mentally 98% still there and physically in great condition (often walks 2 miles/ day).
Her mother lived to 98....so my wife should be healthy enough to push my wheel chair around.....

bluerooster

My mother-in-law lives 1 mi away, and is very much part of our everyday life (meaning my 12yr old son, my wife, and I). My father-in law was very involved in our lives till he passed 5 yrs ago.

My father lives approx 6 mi away, and hasn't seen his grandson for 3 yrs. I see him, my father that is, when I go to his house to make sure he is still alive, or have to wheel him back into the hospital when he has another episode of alcohol poisoning. He has cirrohsis, and will succumb to it one day just as my mother did 4 yrs ago. My son missed out on grandparents from my side of the family due to addictions, which I have found to be much more prevalent in our society than I ever imagined.

All the more reason for me to break the chain that has shackled me, and my family for generations. It seems my family has weak livers, and even weaker minds when it comes to alcohol. 2 years sober for me.

valentine

WOW, Blu -- you've got me all teary and that's a fact. Bless you!!! My dad came down with Parkinson's when he was just in his mid-50s and somehow just absolutely was debilitated by the disease -- we were not very knowledgeable about PD and thought he'd just have some tremors, etc., but he had a particuarly virulent form that ripped away his ability to speak, swallow, walk or move without agony. It took 15 yrs for it to eventually snuff out his life. My daughter does not ever remember seeing him walk or hearing the sound of his voice. He was a minister and I have some tapes of a few of his sermons that I've saved for her. (I can't listen -- even though he's been gone for 9 yrs, the pain floods over me). I went by my parents' house every day after work to feed daddy his dinner and to this day I remember he'd always grab for my hand and lay it on the table, place his hand next to it and laugh hard and long. I always teased him because he and I have identical hands -- I'd say, "yeah, its funny -- I have the hands of a 60+ year old man." Today, I look at my hands and thank my dad for giving me time to let him know I loved him. The first story that I ever got published was a piece I wrote for him called "Thank you Dad". I am so grateful he lived to see that story that was published for a father's day edition of a religious magazine. It made him proud. I'm signing off now -- you touched my heart.

MsPerky

WOW is right, Val...you guys have got me crying in front of my terminal. These stories and your willingness to share them are a big reason I love this forum so much. As I said before, I am thankful every day that I have my parents around. It's going to be pretty devastating when they aren't.

This is not a parent/child thing, but I just found out the other day that a guy in his 50s I work with has terminal pancreatic cancer. I'm pretty bummed out about it. So sad...

Dallas

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Kyras
I agree and that is why I have been a stay at home mom for the past 16 years.

paS2K