I ask an acquaintance of mine, Margareta, what her visits with her aging father are like. She answers, “It’s been difficult to visit him the last five years. I walk through the door for a weekend visit and Time Stands Still! I’d sit on the sofa and wonder what I am going to do the next few days… the clock on the wall ticks loudly… we are always finishing a meal or starting another.”
Margareta is in her late sixties. Her father is over 90 years old, though he still lives by himself. Even though Margareta lives more quietly and sedately than she did a few years ago, when she was still working, her life is hectic in comparison to her father’s life. He lives, what she calls, a warm toffee existence.
I feel the same discrepancy when visiting my parents or meeting other people in retirement. The tiniest things can take ages. And I live a very, very busy life. I don't like talking about food preparation for hours, I just want to finish it quickly.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be a universal experience.