It's Never Too Late

We’ve heard that adage many times: "it’s never too late." Well, it some ways that is true; but it is not always true. Another senior moment arrives when a phone call or a thoughtful deed is too late. Let’s look at some of these potential moments.

Before we do, however, let’s remind ourselves that seniors vary considerably in age. As we know, AARP membership is open to those 50 and above. Others classify seniors as those 65 and over. One 80 year old gentleman refused to go to his neighborhood’s Over 60’s organization because he didn’t want to be with all those old people.

Consequently, a 55 year-old senior has more time left than one who is 90. Now, this is logical and you might say inconsequential. But maybe not. If a person who is 75 decides to write his or her memoirs, prompted by a grandchild or a writing class, it probably is too late to gather much if any information about his ancestry from his/her parents or other relatives.

I was urged to write my memoirs which I did in the mid ‘90s when I was a decade younger. Even so, I couldn’t tap the wisdom of either my parents or grand parents, nor many other relatives and friends. My memory of my ancestry was unfortunately limited.

My mother passed away after a struggle with cancer when she was 39 years old. I was three. I barely knew her. She emigrated to the US when she was twenty-two. Many times in my later years I have wished I would have asked more questions. Now it is impossible. All her peers are gone (most were in her native land) and those who did remember her did not know her very well.

Fortunately, there is good news for these senior moments of regret. There are things we can do. We can get on the telephone and call old friends, grandchildren, siblings and cousins, former neighbors, and yes, even some who are estranged for one reason or another. True, we may not be successful in making amends, or even making contact but we’ll feel better for having tried.

Many seniors are retiring, not from something as much as to something. An old interest, perhaps a hobby, now becomes possible. Even the improbable may become possible if we give it a fighting chance. But we hesitate, wait for a sunnier day and all of a sudden our interest wanes, our minds conjure up doubts or our bodies say, "Who, me?"

That trip to our homeland, quite possible for the past ten years, suddenly becomes unlikely or impossible (or improbable). That idea of a hobby shop we thought of opening ten years ago has atrophied. That long-term policy we thought of suddenly has become too expensive. That short-term opportunity overseas has been short-circuited by missing the cutoff age.

In closing these six-hundred words, let’s concentrate on the positive: It’s never too late to say Thank you, Sir, for cleaning the leaves out of our gutters (some of us are no good on ladders any more). Jack and Jill, here’s a little spending money for your Freshman Week at college. Granny (she’s 87, you’re 66), you’ve had several TIAs. We know you love your home, but we’ll build a granny flat for you. We’d love to have you live with us. She said thanks but no thanks.

Granny suffered a severe stroke within six months and was obligated to move into a nursing home. The saving grace was that she was invited before it was too late. Why not have a few good, even great, senior moments before the sun sets?