When you’re young, life offers so much promise. There are goals and dreams to be chased, people to love and have awesome times with, all while establishing your career.

In fact, we’ve all run so fast we’ve forgotten to look back at our parents. It is so common to forget spending time with the 2 people who raised us.

Amy Rees Anderson had the same realization.

When her parents dropped by to leave her birthday gift even though she was in Arizona for her birthday, she had a realization. Amy watched her parents walk down her front steps.

Her father held her mother’s arm as they slowly went down the steps of the porch. Watching them made Amy realize just how quickly time flew by.

Her parents suddenly seemed so old. She was so busy with her own life that the years went by without even realizing that her mom and dad were aging.

Kids see their parents as invincible adults. Our dads seem to be larger than life, working hard and protecting the family by any means necessary. Our moms take care of the home while raising us.

Amy was no different, seeing her parents as strong, resilient adults who seemed to be forever young.

But seeing her white-haired mom so fragile with her gray-haired father, who walks much slower, both in their 70s, had her realize that soon, her parents would no longer be around

It’s a thought that brought tears to Amy’s eyes, and she admits that the reality of someday losing them is not something she is prepared for.

Amy’s parents have been her guide and anchor her whole life. She always got advice from her father and sympathy from her mother. Imagining them gone is simply too heartbreaking.

And that’s why she came to this realization.

Amy knew that she needed to spend more time with her parents. In fact, she is making it a priority, to the point wherein seeking their advice for every detail in life mattered.

Her idea is to get them to share more stories about their lives including all the lessons they learned. Those lessons will someday be of a lot of help to her. Then she is going to make sure that they know how much she loves the

Amy aims to make sure her parents know how much they mean to her, and she’ll be doing it while they’re still here to hear it in person.

We should be doing the same.

Consider yourself blessed if both your parents are still alive. They’re not perfect, and surely there have been fights every now and then, but that’s part of growing up.

No matter how old they are, we must face the reality that someday, mom and dad will no longer be around.

Make the effort. Give them a call, and drive to their place no matter how far. Visit on the holidays and make wonderful memories together while they are still around.

Do it now while there’s still time!

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Source: Amy Rees Anderson, Aging In Place