I Wish They Were....

I seem to be thinking this a lot lately...."I wish they were_________!"  I could fill in the blank with lots of words.  I wish they were thinkers. I wish they were aware. I wish they were wealthy or I wish they were lucky. I wish they were healthy and I wish they were safe.  I guess the one thing I wish the most is I wish they were small again.  When they were small, their problems were my problems.  I either created them or I solved them.  If it was cold, I dressed them warmly. If it was hot, I sprayed the hose. If they had boo-boos, I bandaged them and if they were sick, I comforted.  If they were dressed to the nines, I had dressed them and if they looked rag-a-muffins, who cared.  If they needed milk money, I gave it f....or book fairs, or yearbooks or candy bars.  If homework was hard, I helped if it was easy, I praised. Now, 30 years later, I just get to worry. I can seldom make it better and advising is just seen as interfering.  My wisdom is seen as generational meddling. After all, what  could I reasonably know or understand.........it's the 21st century and I'm old.

There are some pretty cool perks to being old.  You might have to squint a bit to see them but they're absolutely visible. There is just plain stuff you know! Love is still love and like is still like...There's quite a big difference.  If you don't mean it, don't say it....about anything. Rich comes in many forms other than wealth.  It's possible to be rich at 40!  NOTHING is easy...trite but true.  If you expect easy, you're in for a long, miserable life. Be a bit of a planner.  You can never have enough insurance.  Once you have something, protect it and write a will.  If you worked for it, there's no sense giving it away to someone you haven't chosen.  Never, ever be afraid to seek counsel for anything you're unsure of......(investing, affairs of the heart, purchases, education....) Someone you know has been there and will share their words of wisdom. You need not take the advice but be smart enough to ask for it.

Wishing they were/are what you hoped they would be can be worrisome, often debilitating and usually fruitless. Remembering who you were at their age helps.  Realizing that it took very little time to go from then to now can be paralyzing. Hoping you're around to see your grandkids flourish, to have them ask for just a  touch of your knowledge or want to spend a little time with you is worth all the "I wish they weres" you're struggling with.

You did your best, maybe it was enough, maybe not. I wish there were answers!