BUYING MEMORIES

Old age is an interesting time. You recognize that the days grow short and time is fleeting. You study your finances and calculate how much you can spend of your assets in a reasonable way. But, it is difficult because no one knows when their sojuurn here upon earth will end.

One friend said he wants his last check to bounce on the day he dies. Another told me how much he saves and scrimps because he wants to leave as much as possible to his children and grandchildren.

I personally am spending my money is a way that I think will please my posterity and at the same time provide pleasure for me and Joyce.

Last evening we had a delightful dinner with a granddaughter and her husband. It was rather expensive but I wanted to go a a fine resautarnt, enjoy a great meal and visit one on one with a special member of our family. Joyce said we "are buying memories." It's wonderful that our childrena and grandchildren want to be with us. We relish the oportunity to visit, reminise, plan the future and share feelings with our posterity.

"BUYING MEMORIES" is a good way to spend money. We established a family tradition of the entire family -32 of us- spending Thanksgiving at a beautiful mountain resort. I started hosting the gathering when we were few in number. As the size of our family has increased, the expense and costs have also increased. But, I can't stop this tradition. My family looks forward to being with aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, mom and dad in a setting that promotes conversation and togetherness. Our Thanksgiving gatherings are memories my family will always treasure and look back upon with quickened thoughts and quiet memories.

We have begun spending time in warmer climates during the Utah winters. I don't "winter" very well. I have never been too hot. I have been too cold many times. It's fun to see our daughters and their children line-up to establish dates when they can visit us in the Palm Springs area. We shop, we eat, and visit, we play games. we create lasting MEMORIES. Next winter we will extend our stay in the desert to accommodate more visits from the family. Isn't it great that they want to be with us?

Recently, Joyce and I were sitting in a restaurant and couldn't help over-hearing a gentleman at the next able telling how he hardly knows his grandchildren and can't remember the last time he saw them. How sad! We commented how fortunate we are to be so very close to each member of our thundering herd and how each family member loves the others and how they all enjoy each others company.

Yesterday, a granddaughter called and wanted to know if she could come over for a visit. She wanted us to become better acquainted with her boyfriend. They sat and visited with us for over two hours and upon leaving, they asked if they could take us to dinner on Wednesday. They wanted to continue the visit. I love that they want to be with the old man and his wife.

Yes. It will be nice if the opportunity and fate allows us to bequeth an inheritance to our loved ones. But, we will not scrimp and sacrifice pleasures whilie we are still here. We will continue to look for opportunities to BUY MEMORIES for our children and grandchilren to look back upon and perhaps someday say, "remember when Nana and Poppy took us here?" "Remember when all of our family did this?"