Protect what you love ♥
I want to live to see my grandchildren.
I am not so greedy as to hope to see my Great Grandchildren, as I am the one that waited to have my child in my 40s. And since it was my choice to wait, I owe it to my son (and husband) to take the very best care of myself.
In recent conversations with various friends and family about aging parents, I have concluded the following:
1. It is a major act of love and self-respect to work to take care of your health, fitness and nutrition. There seems to be a major disconnect between maintaining your own good health and wanting the best for your child. In my mind, these are one in the same. As we age, our bad habits eventually catch up with us and rear their ugly heads as ailments like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and a whole array of cancers. Why would you work so hard to implement all the things you’ve learned from parenting books and articles (i.e. Proper child nutrition, Is my child’s development on track, how much screen time is too much, are you stressing out your child, how to discipline a toddler, how do I communicate with my teen, etc.) and make sure your child has the best education, so that when they are putting all of your hard work to use as an adult they become saddled with an ill parent. Couples with young children are working every day to raise that child well, save to put them thru college, advance their careers, and work to have a strong healthy marriage. There is very little room for them to take care of a parent that has CHOSEN not to take care of themselves. Resentment, anger, and depression can result from this PREVENTABLE situation. Let me be clear…Life can tragically knock any parent down with one of a several illnesses that are NOT preventable and family should step in to help. Clearly, I will happily take care of my parents if or when the time comes. My point is simply that, as a parent, we should do all that we can to stay healthy for as long as possible. Good health is a gift to yourself, as well as your children and if you are lucky…your grandchildren too.
2. Mammograms are not as bad as I thought. Just before Thanksgiving I went in for my first mammogram. It was something I was very concerned about and truly worried for the results. Having my little boy so dependent on my breasts’ milk for the first 14 months of his life had made me much more aware of their role in my life and the role I play in his life. My paternal grandmother passed away from breast cancer when I was in college and in recent years an aunt and cousin have been diagnosed. Thank the Lord that the cancer was caught early and these beautifully strong fighters have fought their way through. So for the immediate future I will get my annual mammogram the week of Thanksgiving…and I will remain THANKFUL all the days in between.
3. Getting Life Insurance is a mature understanding of the inevitable and having the forethought to be concerned about those you leave behind. It is not about the money. When someone passes away they leave a whole in the lives of those who loved them and depended on them. The money allows these grieving loved ones to…grieve. They are not worrying about getting fired for taking the time off to process. They are not worried about having to move and how their children will adjust to a new school, new home, lifestyle in addition to the loss of the parent. Life insurance is about minimizing the pain and suffering you will leaving behind.
#ProtectWhatYouLove♥
