Life’s Stages

Life’s Stages

I suppose that the first stage where we really play a role is when we are new born, and we get to spend quality time with mother and father, we then progress into the school system (or private school).  That in fact is the beginning of getting away from the nest.  Up until that time our parents have had the most control and responsibility they will ever have over us.

As we enter the school system we begin to interact with our peers and persons of authority (other than our parents) over us.  Our next major landmark in life is the transition between high school graduation and going away to college (for many of us), others unfortunately simply start their work life.  I say unfortunately because they don’t get the opportunity to prepare for the long journey ahead of them.  As we move forward secondary education is becoming an option that is less and less affordable.  On top of that, the number of unemployed and underemployed college graduates is growing, due to the worsening economic conditions.

Next landmark in life is the period of time where lots of young adults begin to get engaged and married.  Some will take place before and others after college graduation, but either ways there will be a flurry of wedding receptions during this period.  It’s reasonable to expect that many invitations to baby showers will follow soon after (and thus the cycle of life starts over).  Ahead for the married couple depending of the chemistry of the partnership there could be a period stability (monotony for others), for many others there is the possibility of discord and even separation or divorce.

Usually during this challenging period it’s when we start getting seriously involved in our parents’ lives and special needs, for many of us we get directly involved in a way that alters our own living conditions.  Many of us perform this step simply grateful to be able to help out, those people that were there for us in their early lives.  For others that may be struggling, it may just turn into additional stress, in an already challenging life.  Stay aware that in a good marriage the challenge is a double whammy because it will eventually involve the parents on both side of the marriage.

At some time or another all my kids have offered to take care of us in our old age, and I always gave the same answer; if you take care of yourself, I will make sure that your mother and I are taken care of.  As medical science improves our ability to live longer, it will prolong the responsibility to our parents.  I lost both my parents in their early 80’s and I wish I still had them, I would gladly continue to be involved just to be able to visit with them as I used to.

The very next landmark in life is when we start attending retirement celebrations followed soon by making visits to the hospital to visit our friends undergoing some type of medical procedure, hopefully it will be many years later before we start attending funerals.

My wife and I are still at the stage where we are enjoying the “Empty Nest Party,” with the occasional visiting grandchild.  Friends have asked me if we are suffering from the Empty Nest Syndrome, and my answer is heck no, we are picking right up from where the courtship was interrupted by the child bearing and child raising years.  The best is yet to come…..