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"Once you turn 35, you'll see people you know just drop like flies. Your friend group gets smaller as you get older..."
A good friend of mine in his 40s told me this a couple years back, and I'm starting to really see the validity of it. I'm only 27, but in my three years at my current job, I've seen an equal number of coworkers pass away. One in a freak car accident, one had a widow-maker heart attack over a weekend, and one just last week passed in his sleep aged 37.
We always think of people making it longer in life, especially me with my grandfather in his 80s. Even he talks about how he only has two friends left his age though.
Over time, people have health issues, accidents, or just freak things like a heart attack. It's a reminder to value every day like it could be our last...
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Leena
The Train of Life
At birth, we board the train and meet our parents, and we believe they will always travel by our side.
As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of your life.
However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.
Others will step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum.
Some, however, will go so unnoticed that we don’t realize they vacated their seats.
This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells.
Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.
The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down.
So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.
It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty, we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.
I wish you all a joyful journey. -Unknown
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This post made me think of this. I found it one day buried in the pit of Facebook memes, but it stuck with me. I also feel like we shouldn't be afraid to befriend new people as we age. No one wants to be the last one standing.
Thank you for this so much, I agree completely.
> I also feel like we shouldn't be afraid to befriend new people as we age. No one wants to be the last one standing.
I resonate with this one a bunch. I have a family friend who is 108 and continues to work part-time at the barber shop he founded in the '50s. His reason: He'd rather burn himself out working there and socializing with his massive group of regulars than sit at home. He says he'd have probably passed at 80 if he retired because his true hobby is meeting people.
I worry for my grandfather, especially as dementia has been showing more and he is stubborn in living on his own. His primary socializing is going to the diner, but he doesn't do much past that. At least I know my visits and phone calls do him good...
by Chiaki Oogaki; ; Report