My future mobility scooter

Closer to home, this middle-aged man’s 89-year-old father-in-law is finally having his day of reckoning in that his driving days may soon be coming to an end. It’s something my wife has wanted for some time, for her father’s own safety, but he’s been of a different opinion.

Most middle-aged men and their spouses sooner or later will have an episode like this.  Trying to persuade an elderly parent to call it quits behind the wheel and turn in the keys is no easy task.

Sooner or later, though, it’ll happen, either voluntarily or involuntarily.  In my father-in-law’s case, it’s best described as involuntarily voluntarily thanks to an “anonymous” tip given to our state Department of Motor Vehicles.

It’s easy to sit back in our middle-aged man kingdoms watching this unfold before our eyes and believing this is what happens to other people who just happen to be stubborn.  Who are we to believe we’ll be any different?

This is something I think about all the time while taking notes about how my father-in-law is reacting to all this unfolding as I write this reflection.

How many more years will this middle-aged man have the keys to his vehicle and be able to freely go here and there as he pleases?  If by God’s blessing I happen to make it to my father-in-law’s age, my math tells me about 27 more years.

But if he should have surrendered his keys a couple years ago, then maybe I only have 25 more years.

I pray for the wisdom that I’ll call it quits with dignity when my safety and the concern for my safety by others doesn’t escalate as it sometimes does for stubborn oldsters not willing to do the right thing at the right time.

And when that day comes, I hope to still have an active live going here and there using my future mobility scooter.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum