Life Expectancy

I have often joked with friends and family that I will not live to see a ripe old age. It has just been a joke and I never really thought much about it, until last Sunday. That is the day that my wife's family came together to celebrate her grandmother's 90th birthday. At one point before the party started, age came up and Megan made a comment about me living a lot longer, "at least until I was 91 years old." Everyone had a laugh, but it made me think.

I always assumed that I did not want to live to an age where I had to make sacrifices with my lifestyle. I thought I did not want to live long enough to have to use a walker or a wheelchair. I guess that was just the cockiness of youth. As I have gotten older, I have already had to make sacrifices to my life style. I have stiff knees when I bend over. I have ankle pain most days. Some of this has motivated me to lose weight and get healthier, but the pain still persists.

Since I have already made some life style sacrifices, why not make a few more in order to see my grandchildren and great grandchildren? I think I can endure a few more changes in order to have a great life. I see how my parents and my wife's parents enjoy their granchildren and how much more they can enjoy life now that they have some financial freedom and I am looking forward to doing the same. Although, I would like to have that freedom at an earlier age.