Viewpoint: Turning 72, Now What Do I Do?

?? Don’t stop reading, the title is the same as the Viewpoint last week because after I turned it in, I had a different revelation. A revelation, that alas, was too late for the deadline last week. We are all subject to deadlines.

?? So, Saturday I did turn 72. And I’m not regretting anything I wrote last week. I just thought of something that might be, could be, may be, a little more heartfelt, when you discuss such a big deal as the possibility of having another 12 years according to the Senior Living actuarial table.

?? ?I was still pondering what I wanted to do with those 12 extra years as I drove to the YMCA where I coach my nine-year-old grandson’s flag football team.

?? ?Blake is the youngest boy on the team and I have to admit, whether I am coaching him in flag football or my 11-year-old granddaughter in basketball, I’m a little harder on them than the other kids. Come to think of it, I was a little harder on my own kids when I coached them.

?? After practice Blake came up to me on the way to the car, hugged me and said, “Grandpa did I do anything good when I was playing football?” I think I’ll spend some of that extra 12 years making sure he knows that he has a lot of ability; but the cool thing about my grandson is that he has a pretty good time at whatever he does.

?? I think when you are nine you should be able to be praised for having a good time, especially when you try as hard as he does. I walked with my daughter, Amber, and grandson Blake back to the car and there in the back seat was my youngest grandson, Duke. Kind of holding his blanket and looking a little tired. He had been a good boy during practice. In fact, I didn’t even notice he was there until just then.

?? ?Now what self-respecting grandpa with maybe 12 more years to live would do anything but throw open the door and give that six-year-old a sloppy, sloppy, sloppy kiss to make sure he’s good and awake for the ride home.

?? I remember, vividly, when my dad died. As I said, he was pretty young and I remember the void it created in my life. There were so many things I wanted to ask him and he wasn’t there to ask. I realized, with some of the things I never asked, I was too proud. I thought they were things I should have known.

?? ?Some of those maybe 12 extra years, I think I’ll just shut up and be available. You never know when someone will need to ask a question. And with my personality I’ve probably talked over 1000 questions already. One or two of them might really be important.

?? ?I like coaching, so maybe I can do 12 more years of that. Tonight, our team talked about sportsmanship and we talked about treating other teams with respect.

?? In some of those 624 Viewpoints I may have left, I think I’ll talk about faith, and respect for other Viewpoints, and the importance of relationships.

?? ?I want to take many, many more walks with my wife, and spend time with friends over a meal, or a board game, or in a church. I want to watch new children enter the family, and cry over members that leave the family.

?? ?Looks like I’ve got a lot to do, at age 72. I think I’ll get started, right after I take a nap.