Hi all; I'm a senior in college. My parents are in their early 60s, and I have a nagging fear of them dying at any moment. As much as my parents and I have pissed each other off to the point where we've had climactic fights, I still love them, and the thought of losing them worries me to no end. Especially is the case for my father, who has been the sole provider of our family since the beginning; he has gout and diabetes among other ailments, yet he still gets up before 5am for work, coming home in the afternoon, easily falling asleep.
Before this becomes tl;dr, please help me find a way to deal with this everyone. Thank you.
Hi OP!
Just let it go, accept the death. It will either happen today or in 40 years anyways. Its just a question of time. Meanwhile you can start spending more time with them and actually appreciate the time you are spending together. Just enjoy the fun moments and try to forget about bad things. And I'm more than sure they love you a lot as well.. :)
good luck!
be glad they aren't already dead? I lost my mother a couple of years ago and there is nothing worse than knowing you weren't a good enough child. So, my advice is be the best son/daughter you can be to your parents, you can still try to make up for any mistakes you've made in the past. I can't.
id like to reiterate >>3's statement. i lost my father when i was 11 and my mother when i was 18, your parents have had a good run already. theres really nothing to 'deal with' while they are still alive. just be thankful they are still there at all.
>>1 OP, consider this: it could be you who dies first,... And that would be truly shattering for your parents. It's probably better if they go first, as is usual.
Besides, I have a grand mother that I love very much, and who is over ninety, so she won't stay around much longer. So I just enjoy the time with her when it's possible, and will keep her alive within me when she's gone.
You have to learn to cope with loss and grief, but learn to avoid bitterness, because it destroys the happy moments, past, present and future.
OP: thank you everyone =)