My dad is 70 years old.
People always say that wisdom comes with age. This definitely applies to having older parents. They have already experienced much more of life than a younger parent. They act more lenient and you really learn to be more independent. Plus, they have some really interesting stories to tell. Thankfully, I’ve learned from quite a few of those. Because I have older parents, sometimes I worry about them when they have health issues like my dad.
This summer, my dad underwent major surgery on his intestines that prevented him from eating for several days. The whole family came in town while he spent a week in the hospital. My mom’s friends brought us dinner every night, and old friends visited from far away. I was really scared. Before the surgery when everyone was crammed into the waiting room, I kept overthinking.
“What if this is the last time I see my dad?”
“What will happen if he isn’t okay?”
“Why did this happen?”
He had a hard time walking after the operation, and things were difficult when he got home. His medicine made him tired. For the first time, I noticed the effects of his age. I hate saying it. But now he actually seems more like an old man to me. It’s alarming because my dad’s normal boisterous and goofy attitude diminished completely.
He went back to the hospital a week after surgery because of dehydration. Now that he’s almost fully recovered, my mind’s at ease. But at the time, I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was anxious and tried to block out all negative thoughts, but it was nearly impossible.
Most of the time when people go through struggles, they get stronger. Through this experience, I learned to spend more time with my dad and mom because I know that when I go to college next year, I will wish I put my phone away or turned off Netflix to just go sit and talk with them.
Anything can happen to anyone, and you always want to make sure you make the most of the time you spend with your loved ones. Never take anyone for granted.
