I was hit by a thought I had back in 1989 a few days ago and it hit me hard.
My grandmother (My mom's mom) passed away in 1989 and they were very close. Both my grandfathers passed away before I was born so I never met them.... Just my grandmothers.
I loved both grandmothers but especially my mom's. She was always in a great mood no matter what. She always found the bright side in anything it seemed. She lived out of state but we would see her every year and my mom talked with her every few days. When my grandmother passed I remember thinking... WOW... Now my parents have NO Parents alive... I cannot imagine that! What will I feel when that happens to me?
That thought hit me with the same realism as if it were 1989 with the exception that now both of my parents have passed!
My dad passed unexpectedly in 1995 and I was filled with regret for not doing more with him. Not asking him more questions and finding out more about what made him tick. I made sure I didn't feel this way about my mom. I built a custom home with an extra master just for my mom. There was no way I'd send her to a retirement place. My mom valued her privacy and mine and waited until she couldn't handle the stairs in her house. She moved in almost a year before she passed. I had absolutely no regrets with my mom. I miss her terribly as she was my best friend. But when I feel sad, I think about everything she accomplished in life, her volunteer work and what she left behind as a legacy for others. A smile creeps across my face every time as I swell with pride thinking about her!
Good memories
Yup. True. Wish they were good memories, but they're not.