I don’t have children.

My sister and I both don’t have kids, but are very close to our parents.  We can do a case study later on why neither of us were successful at marriage and kids, but that ’s for another blog .

I have a special connection with the best generation.

The Washington Post polled 2700 “senior citizens” and asked them what they preferred to be called. Most of them, 43% liked ‘older adult”, a third liked “elder” , almost another third liked ‘senior”….Only 12% liked “senior citizen” , I’m fond of the best generation.

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to accompany my 83 year old father to his 65th high school reunion in Miami , FL.  There were 121 people in attendance.  I was shocked !

I made sure to be there on the first night to “spy” on my dad and his friends.  I was so curious to see how they would interact, what they would drink, were they dancing?

Well,  to my surprise…these “old timers”{they didn’t like that term according to the WashPost} were having a ball.  My dad stood leaning next to a wall with his cranberry and vodka.  Three of the ladies were dancing, while another two strolled right by me complaining of a classmate…” I never liked her in high school, and I don’t like her now”.  Some things never change

I laughed , until I started to cry.

My dad isn’t the same.  He can’t remember like he used to.  His jokes are still corny, but the patriarch of our family is moving a little slower and I couldn’t help but think, these kind of trips are rare and may not happen again.

The next day , we ventured to Coral Gables, and we drove by the house he grew up in.  This place was adorable.  It’s a 90 year old Spanish home, really kept up well, too.

I started to ask questions about his neighborhood, his best friend, his mom, his dad { I didn’t know them well before they passed} .

I quizzed him on his high school girlfriends, the most trouble he ever got in.  I inquired about the sports he played.  I mean I went full on Barbara Walters on him.

Boy am I glad I did.

I’m a big fan of the show THIS IS US.  I cry along with the rest of the nation every Tuesday night because this show grabs you right by the heart and doesn’t let go.

The episode that blew me away focused on a son and his dad going to Memphis for one last “hoorah”.  The story was beautifully told with stops in Memphis Blues joints, bbq stands, and the long  ride in the car.

One of the lines from this particular episode called MEMPHIS is the advice from father to son:

“ Roll all the windows down, and crank the music up…let someone else make your bed”

He was telling him to stop and smell the roses and stop being so uptight

Miami was my Memphis trip.  Since being back in Atlanta, I’ve called my parents more, planned more trips home, and I’m definitely  got the music cranked.  I’m not wound as tight.

It’s the best trip I ever took!

I plan on hanging with my dad more, and ordering him a nice cold vodka and cranberry.