You Know It's Gettin' Time!

As the folks of a previous generation would say it, you know it's "gettin time" when you see certain rituals acted out in an age group, in anticipation of an event. Okay, that's obscure enough, so let me make it clearer. You know that something's about to happen when you see people act in a way that anticipates it.

As a baby boomer whose parents are both playing harps in heaven, I well remember how my sibling that lives out of town came to town, kids in tow, to see grandmother and granddad, and usually on a whim, or drop of a hat, not to mention birthdays. Nowadays, I know of situations where one or more parent is getting "long in the tooth", and "spare in the hair", and their kids are coming to town for some occasion that only the kids will attend. But, the vehicle of choice is a van or minivan packed with the next generation, next generation after, also included.

You never know how long you have on this earth, before you are, once again, part of this earth. Thus, the signs that you are close include an entourage of family that needs a suite of rooms to sleep, coming to check up on you. An album of pictures is taken, at whatever stage all the parties are. Grandma is 85, great grandkid is 5 weeks, sittin on the lap. Finish it out with the two generations in between, if there's room.

I have an aunt in New Orleans whose house was virtually undisturbed by Katrina, and she found herself with the next 3 generations LIVING with her for awhile. Of course, these were functional guests, doing the cooking and cleaning. The only challenge the aunt had was finding the TV remote!

And I remember my father who had an airplane, and went to Georgia with mom in the right seat, to see his dad, who lived to 94 years! I dare say more than half the fuel budget for the year went into those trips. I had grandparents in Macon and Atlanta, so both cities got a lot of looks in the 60's and 70's. We drove and flew to those cities in our sleep, sometimes.

But its good to keep in touch with the previous generation, especially as it occurs to us that they know a few things we don't. They've seen life from the long view, and memories line up like telephone poles in a telephoto lens. They all bunch up together. It just occurred to me that I started 2nd grade at East Elementary School 50 years ago, this fall. 50 years! Wow!

But its always interesting to see my baby boomer friends in their fifties packing whole families for trips they used to do by themselves. Every occasion, every chance to see the parents/grandparents just might be the last. It's something your head gets ready for, and your heart tries to, but neither are ever truly ready to say goodbye and plan the funeral, if they haven't done it themselves. Sometimes its cancer, and they see the gates of Heaven from afar coming near. I recently attended the memorial service of a well-known woman who had her family funeral and burial in the morning, followed by a memorial service later the same day. Nice arrangement, but its gotta take a toll to go thru that twice.

Never pass up the chance to let em know they're special, and just be there. Don't need words, the Holy Spirit does all the heart work, all the comforting, so just be there. Repeat the fun stuff you used to do, and let them be a part. But, be there for them-and for you.