My parents were older when I was born. I was what I jokingly call a "surprise" or as I would kid my parents "That will teach you to fool around in your old age." LOL The advantage was and is growing up with older people. Throughout my life I've always been very comfortable hanging out with older people. I fondly remember being 10 years old and having dinner with my Mom and Dad and then hopping on my Schwinn bicycle and racing down the road two miles or more to George and Celia Stevens house to have dinner with them too! Pancakes with green tea is what I remember with a smile on my face and in my heart. And I remember listening to their stories of the lumber days in northern Wisconsin...for they were frontier people and quite old when I knew them. They are just and example...for there was Esther and Charlie too...Charlie had been a lumberjack...and he loved telling tall tales. Again as I remember those moments I smile both with my face and with my heart.
I gained a depth and width of knowledge from hanging out with these older friends than I would have ever gained with friends my own age.
So, now I am an older man. The years have flown by and I now witness my nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews coming of age...growing up from the bright and funny children into bright and fun adults. Truly, I am blessed.
However, everyone else that I grew up with is now dead. That is the true disadvantage of being born so late in my family's life. My brother died a little over a year ago. I am what I call "the last one standing" for my whole immediate family...all of those that I grew up with are now dead. It is indeed a strange point to be at in my life. It is a very lonely point to be at for although I am surrounded with chosen family and my nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews...they do not know or remember the people I've known.
Yes, I am blessed with the love I have in my life. I am not complaining. Yet, I would so love to hear my Mother's voice once again, to hear my Dad scolding me (for I was always in trouble with him), to talk to my brother once again, to hear Marion's laughter, to see Aunt Tina zooming up the driveway of my parent's house in her black Ford Falcon grinding gears every step of the way, to be in my Aunty Libby's kitchen with the smell of a pot roast cooking, to hear my Aunt Ruth chortling with laughter over the phone at some joke I've just told her....
Yes. I miss them all, I love them all. And I cannot help but feel very lonely at times...