Not to be on a downer, and not to elicit sympathy, but it has been a rough year for my wife and it is getting downright scary. As I have mentioned before, she was part of a very small graduating class of only 33 kids. So far within the past six months, three of the guys have past away on a Friday. Today, she gets an e-mail and another classmate collapsed at work today. They took her to the hospital and found tumors in her brain and lungs. She has been sent to a specialty hospital in Joplin for immediate surgery. Needless to say, it is not an optimistic outlook and my wife is a bit bummed.

When you consider the odds, it is enough to spook a statistician. I suppose that it is just one of those things. When we are younger, we feel we have an eternity ahead of us. Then we start to see our childhood companions start to falter along the way, and we realize that we are mere specks in the history of life. I used to be the young up and comer, and now I am the old pro. Tomorrow we attend my boss's retirement party after working for him for twenty years. And soon I will have to work with (break in) another supervisor much younger than me. Now I am rambling like an old fogey.

SD, I hear what you're saying. I suspect you and I are both on the north side of 50...me by a long ways. Kinda scary to see your peers dropping off, isn't it.

What's often scarier is seeing the new crop of "up and comers". Scares the bejesus out of me to think of some of them running things after we retire. Some of these youngsters are narrow minded enough to fit through the eye of a needle.

Some hang out here from time to time.

What's scary to me is to see my sons develop patches of grey hair!

I can remember when I was in my 20s that I thought most old geezers I knew (those over 40) weren't worth the air they breathe. In some respects, those old geezers have become us.

Life is short. That's why we boat!

I am 43 and never had a close family member die in my adult life, now it seems as though there are half a dozen of them teetering on the edge. It sucks!

Sadly for those left behind, death is all part of the life. Over the years I've lost all my grandparents, two aunt's (one I was very close to) admiral's dad (car accident), my dad and my oldest sister (she was just 52!). As a Christian, I believe they are all in a better place and look forward to being with them again...although I hope to stay on this good Earth as long as I possible

I think it can be rougher when it is your own generation passing away. When you are young, it is always the great-great relations, then the grandparents and their siblings, and then your parents generation. You expect that. Then your generation connections start passing away at a young age and it is spooky. It is very subtle how you start realizing how old you are getting. Like when you see a woman that you think is looking in good shape for middle aged. Then you realize that she was the little sister of a girl you dated. Or mistake an old schoolmate for her mother after 35 years.

Sucks getting old, but it reminds us of what is important and what precious commodities friends, family, and time are. Need to make the most of it.

Getting old sucks in a lot of respects but it's better than the alternative!

My man Jimmy puts it this way....

??

Seadog: I am very sorry to hear about the troubling times.

I'm sure he's not talking about us.

Right?

Derek, as I said, I was not soliciting sympathy, but I thank you anyway. Yes, it is a shock to my wife. And I remember this friend from when I was dating my wife. As most young girls, she was very attractive. We tend to remember people at their best in reflection. What is happening is a freaky quick of fate. It is one of those things that leads us to question our mortality and reflect on our lives. We get maudlin and listen to old songs. But it is like the fatalism of pilots during periods of war when their chances of survival are slim. We realize that their fate is our fate, sooner or later. Whether we die young and leave a handsome corpse, or die late and leave a shriveled husk, we die.

I doubt that I will be listened to, but I have said many times that I want a good Irish wake. A plain coffin or better still, my favorite German mug. Let the drinks and good food flow. Show the embarrassing pictures and play the rowdy tunes. I would much rather think of my passing as I would the boarding of a ship to a new destination. I'm silly like that.