Our parents are growing old?

We all pray to live long and we also pray for our parents to live long so that they can enjoy the fruit of their labour but most people are not mentally or emotionally prepared to see their parents age and by most people, I mean yours truly.

Most of us can’t bear to look at our aging parents without feeling sorry for them and most of us can’t come to terms with the fact that our parents are aging every day and one day we will have to bid them goodbye.

After two years of being apart from my father and siblings, I finally saw my family again as we all had a little reunion where everyone came back home and it was crystal clear that my father was growing old. He wasn’t the only one aging as my Aunties, Uncles, neighbors, and every elderly person I knew was growing old and the signs were visible.

The change in size, appearance, diet, age spots and so many other things that came with aging were evident. This is new to me and also too much to take in.

It was difficult to accept that my once active and vibrant father was slowly becoming weak, his diet ever-changing to suit his age and so many other changes that I do not understand.
It was difficult to look at my Aunt who used to be fine before but she now takes different drugs for different purposes

and I asked myself if this is what being old looks like. Is this how one moves from being completely independent and in control to being dependent on their children gradually?

On my way to the supermarket this evening I kept singing The Older I Get by Alan Jackson and it felt like the lyrics of the song was giving me some sort of hope and encouragement about growing old and I couldn’t help but share this song with you all.

The Older I Get was produced by Alan Jackson on October 20, 2017. The country songwriter didn’t whine about how old he was neither did he enumerate all the good things he missed out on when he was young rather he cherishes all the lessons learnt all through his journey as a human being and is ready for his next phase of life.

The more thankful I feel
For the life I've had and all the life I'm living still

This song makes aging look beautiful as it preaches the good aspects of aging and the wisdom that comes with it. Alan Jackson made old age look less scary and more fulfilling. In the songwriters words he is just getting to his best “years” yet and this to me is a plot twist, it's the voice of one who is appreciative of the growth process and has no iota of regret whatsoever.

This song has inspired and comforted me as well. While I still cannot totally accept the fact that my dad is getting older and older by the day I am happy he is still alive to witness a whole lot of things and I am happy that he is content as he ages, as some others age and battle with series of health issues, but that isn't the case for my dad, for this I'm grateful.

If you’re looking for something soothing to listen to I recommend Alan’s The Older I Get any day, any time and you sure are not going to regret it.