What Keeps YOU alive?

[geist1223]

I’m 55 with two boys 10 and 13 so I think my answer is obvious. How many 55 year olds can say they still play with hot wheels?

You would be surprised. When 2nd son and daughter were in Middle School and High School (now in their 30's) we would go out on Black Friday starting about 4am. Fred Meyer (Kroger) was known for 2 things - socks and hot wheels. My kids were shocked to see grown men almost literally fighting to get to the hot wheels display. The restocking cart would be mobbed before it made it halfway down the aisle.

 

[bbodb1]

Another post here, and a talk with 3 other women (+/- 70 ) in the pool today got me to wondering.

How many of us are dependent upon 'something ' to stay alive? ...

When I read your OP, my first thought went in a different direction than the replies (to date) have taken. For as many people who answer your OP, I suspect if 50 people answered the question, we would get 50 different sets of answers. While there would (no doubt) be some overlap within the answers, we've all had different (enough) life experiences that what we value will differ and be a function of our life's experiences (to date).

When I read the OP, my first thought would be what happens if you lose all of the things one clings to as valuable and meaningful - those things (whatever they may be) that make life worth living.

How does one form new set(s) of things to value and hold meaningful?

Most of us here have a considerable amount of life experience upon which to draw. We are likely out of the practice of putting ourselves in new situations, new experiences to the point our younger selves would have ventured. Our kids have come into our lives, consumed a significant portion of our lives and as they leave our lives to pursue their own experiences and goals, they leave canyon like gulfs behind. I know some will disagree with that statement but the fact remains that as your children age, your relationship with them changes too. The time and interaction you have with your children decreases. This period of time (for me anyway) has revealed how much their routine(s) become my routine(s) because when the events and commitments surrounding their routines were gone, I was left with very little (if any) of the routines I had before the kids came along.

Some people would say try and resume the life you had before but being nearly a generation removed from that life, I found it was not as desirable as I recalled it.

Perhaps what I am trying to say is I better understand why people lose interest in life as we get older.
It is not a far fetched notion this happens.

Sorry to be a downer on a Monday....

 

[bbodb1]

Is this really a question or are you looking for the meaning of life?

Can't it be both?

 

[b2bailey]

Literally, levothyroxine
Still enjoying life, want to see grandkids grow up, lots of good books to read, golf and bridge games to play, movies to see, parties to attend.

Actually, levothyroxine is currently my only medication -- but I don't think stopping it would cause me to die.

 

[rapmarks]

Actually, levothyroxine is currently my only medication -- but I don't think stopping it would cause me to die.

If you have no thyroid it would, you would be so severely hypothyroid you would go into a coma.

 

[Steve Fatula]

What keeps me alive is someone in my life who without me, would have a terrible life and likely end up dead. And I don't want that, so.... That's my main motivator.

 

[b2bailey]

Is this really a question or are you looking for the meaning of life?

My initial question, had I been more specific, would be in regard to prescription meds or procedures. But I've enjoyed all the replies.

 

[b2bailey]

When I read your OP, my first thought went in a different direction than the replies (to date) have taken. For as many people who answer your OP, I suspect if 50 people answered the question, we would get 50 different sets of answers. While there would (no doubt) be some overlap within the answers, we've all had different (enough) life experiences that what we value will differ and be a function of our life's experiences (to date).

When I read the OP, my first thought would be what happens if you lose all of the things one clings to as valuable and meaningful - those things (whatever they may be) that make life worth living.

How does one form new set(s) of things to value and hold meaningful?

Most of us here have a considerable amount of life experience upon which to draw. We are likely out of the practice of putting ourselves in new situations, new experiences to the point our younger selves would have ventured. Our kids have come into our lives, consumed a significant portion of our lives and as they leave our lives to pursue their own experiences and goals, they leave canyon like gulfs behind. I know some will disagree with that statement but the fact remains that as your children age, your relationship with them changes too. The time and interaction you have with your children decreases. This period of time (for me anyway) has revealed how much their routine(s) become my routine(s) because when the events and commitments surrounding their routines were gone, I was left with very little (if any) of the routines I had before the kids came along.

Some people would say try and resume the life you had before but being nearly a generation removed from that life, I found it was not as desirable as I recalled it.

Perhaps what I am trying to say is I better understand why people lose interest in life as we get older.
It is not a far fetched notion this happens.

Sorry to be a downer on a Monday....

I like this... How does one create a new set...
That's where I am in my life right now. It has been nearly 5 years since I lost my husband, but I still feel like a ship out of water.

 

[pedro47]

Can I add the followings: timeshare traveling, cruising, wine, whiskey & medications
(and I still enjoying) LOL

 

[rapmarks]

I do know my mother and two of my aunts lived into their nineties but when medications were stopped, they died in a few weeks. Modern medicine is keeping many people alive a lot longer.

 

[Glynda]

A love of learning and seeing new things and places.

 

[AnnaS]

My family, kids, grandchildren, hubby and my faith. I tell my husband we have each other to take care of. We do babysit the grandchildren a few days a week. We are both home and love that we are able to help out for the next few years.

But I live for and enjoy waking up every morning with my husband. We love to walk, sit at the beach, gardening, going on vacation, to mass, etc. etc. Looking forward to my youngest getting married and hope to see her with children.

I just recently retired from my p/t job (husband already home) so really hoping to enjoy the little extra freedom. We have a ton of things we want to do and will do.

We don't take our health for granted. Hubby got sick 12 years ago and we both lost siblings young. Our parents are all gone so we know how short and precious life is.

We don't live once, we die once. Live each day. Every day is a new day......and we have many days ahead of us to learn and explore some more.

 

[bnoble]

This is a great question. Two and a half years ago, the answer was "nothing."

I was struggling with a variety of self-destructive behaviors and had for nearly three decades. I knew I was slowly killing myself, and rather than do something about it, I calmly made the following observations: My youngest was going to be a senior in high school and was successfully on his way to college. Both kids had enough in their 529s to cover their undergraduate degrees and then some. I have substantial life insurance coverage, which would pay off the house and leave a nice chunk behind for my wife who had her own very successful career. I was 48, and figured I'd had a nice run, accomplished what I needed to accomplish, and if I was at the end, that was okay.

Almost two years ago to the day, the first of a sequence of events that I can only describe as divine providence eventually got me to take a hard look in the mirror and decide that I wasn't going to live like that anymore. I'm in recovery, have been clean and sober for almost a year and a half, and have taken responsibility for my physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness.

What keeps me alive now? The deep appreciation for the fact that every day is a gift, and that if life were fair, I'd already be dead. I don't know what each day will bring, but that I do know I have a part to play in it. And, if that works out today, I'll do it again tomorrow.

Edited to add: and in light of the "how do you find new things" question? None of this is for anyone else. It was in the beginning. But, now it is just for me---because I know that I am worth it. There's a passage in a favorite book of mine that comes to mind about this:

...taught me that there is a bit of good in the worst of us, and a bit of bad in the best of us; that we are all children of God and we each have a right to be here.

I don't think I believed that last bit until very recently.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

This is a great question. Two and a half years ago, the answer was "nothing."

I was struggling with a variety of self-destructive behaviors and had for nearly three decades. I knew I was slowly killing myself, and rather than do something about it, I calmly made the following observations: My youngest was going to be a senior in high school and was successfully on his way to college. Both kids had enough in their 529s to cover their undergraduate degrees and then some. I have substantial life insurance coverage, which would pay off the house and leave a nice chunk behind for my wife who had her own very successful career. I was 48, and figured I'd had a nice run, accomplished what I needed to accomplish, and if I was at the end, that was okay.

Almost two years ago to the day, the first of a sequence of events that I can only describe as divine providence eventually got me to take a hard look in the mirror and decide that I wasn't going to live like that anymore. I'm in recovery, have been clean and sober for almost a year and a half, and have taken responsibility for my physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness.

What keeps me alive now? The deep appreciation for the fact that every day is a gift, and that if life were fair, I'd already be dead. I don't know what each day will bring, but that I do know I have a part to play in it. And, if that works out today, I'll do it again tomorrow.

I can relate.

What kept me alive was the memory of what my best friend's family went through after he committed suicide. I knew that he felt that he was doing everyone he loved a favor by removing himself - that they would all be better off if they didn't have the burden of him anymore. Of course it was a lie, and when I was nearing the same place I realized that no matter how absolutely and incontrovertibly true that seemed to me, it was a lie.

With that I recognized that it's dangerous to mind what our mind tells us. The whole thing led me into a healing process, applying principles of cognitive behavior therapy.

*************

About five years ago I was reflecting, and the thought came to me that I was blessed. I looked at where I was in life, my family, my circumstances, my work, my mental health. And I simply felt blessed. Every Christmas, at our family dinner, I always take a moment to claim a family patriarch moment and let everyone know that I feel blessed, and that everyone on the table is part of the blessing.

Where I am now and what my circumstances are not within the window of what I expected when I was reaching the end of my education and heading out into the world. But it's better than what I expected then. It's what I would have yearned for then if only I had known enough to yearn for it. And that is the biggest blessing of all - to end up where you should have been even though you weren't astute enough to set that as a goal. But I wouldn't have arrived here if I hadn't entered the chasm and decided to continue across the bridge instead of jumping off.

A few years ago, my BIL passed out Ebenezer Stones (see below) at a family reunion. The one he selected for me was tagged "Gratitude". Divinely perfect.

 

[dioxide45]

When I read the OP, my first thought would be what happens if you lose all of the things one clings to as valuable and meaningful - those things (whatever they may be) that make life worth living.

I didn't read the OP to be this at all. I didn't read it to be about family or sentimental things. But rather, what artificial thing or medicines are keeping you alive every day. Do you have a pacemaker or require dialysis? While family and friends are great and it would be horrendous to lose them, life would continue on after they are gone. So you aren't dependant upon them to live. Unless perhaps they are a caretaker, but life still would go on.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I didn't read the OP to be this at all. I didn't read it to be about family or sentimental things. But rather, what artificial thing or medicines are keeping you alive every day. Do you have a pacemaker or require dialysis? While family and friends are great and it would be horrendous to lose them, life would continue on after they are gone. So you aren't dependant upon them to live. Unless perhaps they are a caretaker, but life still would go on.

Often threads meander - and that is particularly true for the Lounge, which in it's intent is just a place to "chat". And just like real-life chats, they often go in uncharted directions.

The memorable (for some) "--Deleted--" thread being a prime example.

 

[b2bailey]

[QUOTE="dioxide45, post: 2316412, member: But rather, what artificial thing or medicines are keeping you alive every day. Do you have a pacemaker or require dialysis? QUOTE]
Bingo!
But it turned out some great thoughts.

 

[easyrider]

Perhaps what I am trying to say is I better understand why people lose interest in life as we get older.
It is not a far fetched notion this happens.

Same here. I think that is why I like to travel.

What keeps me alive is someone in my life who without me, would have a terrible life and likely end up dead. And I don't want that, so.... That's my main motivator.

Same here. My wife was the biggest motivation for my almost full recovery.

Regarding health. It was the wife, doctors, medication, cardiac rehab , diet and exercise that did it for me. On my work out playlist is Freddy who said " Keep yourself alive".

Bill

 

[x3 skier]

Actually, I “died” almost exactly 6 months after my wife passed but was revived via CPR/AED. After bypass surgery, I picked up where I left off with all the things I mentioned earlier in this thread.

So I’m either 5 years old or 77, depending on how one looks at things. Unfortunately I can’t seem to convince anyone to let me take advantage of the “Kids eat free” and other “Kids (whatever) free” or even 12 and under deals. Fortunately I’m still able to get the “Geezer price”. Maybe I need two ID cards.

Cheers

 

[x3 skier]

I like this... How does one create a new set...
That's where I am in my life right now. It has been nearly 5 years since I lost my husband, but I still feel like a ship out of water.

Just remember, every ship has to come out of the water sometime for reapair or rejuvenation or it will eventually sink. You have a new life to live. Be happy you do and decide if you, like a ship in dry dock, want to be rejuvenated or not.

Cheers and live life to the fullest. It the best choice

 

[joestein]

I have to keep it in check or I could see me going over the edge. Doesn't help my weight problem either......

I feel you on that. I have sworn off alcohol except when in a social setting. Even then try to take it a little easy. No more 2 or 3 beers in the pool by myself on Sat or Sun afternoon. Now I have water instead.

I will be at my SIL house in late Aug, they just finished building their in ground pool. I am sure I will consume way too many beers and/or margaritas and her husband and I will rekindle our bromance. (They lived in the same town as us for the last 14 years and just moved to Charlotte last summer).

 

[Icc5]

I live to vacation and vacation to live.

 

[b2bailey]

Just remember, every ship has to come out of the water sometime for reapair or rejuvenation or it will eventually sink. You have a new life to live. Be happy you do and decide if you, like a ship in dry dock, want to be rejuvenated or not.

Cheers and live life to the fullest. It the best choice

My last timeshare was located next to drydock boatyard. I was making some comparisons to myself.

 

[Passepartout]

Well, there things that make life worth living. My wife, travel, TUG, good food, friends, my dog, watching the sun rise and set and so many more 'little' things.
But what keeps me alive probably has more to do with medications and a pacemaker than anything.

Jim

 

[DaveNV]

But what keeps me alive probably has more to do with medications and a pacemaker than anything.

Jim

Some of us don’t want to consider the alternative. Keep taking your meds.

Dave