So Let's see I thought I had passed every milestone possible to signify that I'm getting old. I survived the big 50, the high blood pressure, the heart surgery, the forgetting every name I have ever known, the expanding waistline and the preceding diet for the rest of my life, not to mention taking more medicines than food. Yes I thought I had survived it all, but now I face the real sign of old age, as the last of my children gets married.
yes it's true this is a second marriage so I have had plenty of time to prepare for this but some things you just can't prepare for. No longer do I have any control of them. No longer am I considered wise and knowledgeable on life. Now I'm just the Patriarch of the Family. That's a title given to a person to make them feel honored. Personally I can't think of a term that makes me feel older. Moses was a Patriarch, Methuselah was a Patriarch, I remember referring to my Dad as a Patriarch and now I'm them? Between that and the constant barrage of AARP mail I now know the meaning of feeling old.
I know wine gets better with age, they say it gets sweeter. I can't imagine being sweeter after sitting on a shelf for 40 years. So here I come full circle. I will give my daughter away, with a final dance and with any luck I won't break anything during the dance. I'm starting to understand why older people get dogs that way they are still respected even if it is by something that chases his tail.
At least Darla and I can grow old together, her gracefully and me kicking and screaming all the way. Well time for my medicine.
