Love your parents no matter what and get to know them while they’re still alive.

That’s what Amy Rees Anderson, who juggles being a successful entrepreneur with raising a family, has to say after reflecting on how her parents seemingly aged overnight.

Growing old is one of those things that’s inevitable in life, but when it comes to your parents, they can sometimes seem to be frozen in time.

That’s because no matter how old you get, they’re always mom and dad to you.

When you’re in their presence, you’re not playing the role of a mother anymore – you’re the child.

Recently, when Amy’s parents left her house after dropping off a belated birthday gift, she suddenly noticed how they were moving through life at a much slower pace.

“As I watched my parents leaving my home, I realized something and it really hit me hard.”

When Amy’s father gently took her mother by the arm and carefully helped her walk down the small steps on the front porch, it suddenly hit her that they weren’t so young anymore.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the same thing happen with a loved one in your life.

One day they’re just your parents, and the next, they’re elderly seniors with only so much time left in this world.

That can be both a frightening and saddening realization, especially if you’ve been so busy with your own life that you haven’t had a chance to grasp just how many years have passed for them.

Amy lost sight of the fact that her mom and dad were aging because she was just “too busy” living life.

And that made her sad because that was time she could never get back.

“But because my own life has been going through so much transition and change due to my kids growing up and moving out over these last few years, I had somehow simply failed to notice just how much my own parents were aging… and it made me feel sad.”

If your parents are still alive, ask them to tell you stories about your life, or what lessons they’ve learned in theirs.

Tell them how much you love them and what they mean to you! And most importantly, don’t take their time here on this planet for granted.

“Every one of you reading this blog have parents that are aging if you are still blessed enough to have them on this earth. No matter how old your parents are the reality is that any of us could lose our parents at any time.”

Time will always march on whether you like it or not.

And the sad truth is, not everyone gets a happy ending.

So be present with yourself and your family, and take whatever steps you can to get joy and meaning from your life. Because this very moment, right NOW, is all any of us truly have.

Here’s some more great advice from people who’ve lived a long and fruitful life.

Watch the video below to see what these centenarians have to say about regrets.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Positive Outlooks, Amy Rees Anderson, Life Hunters