6 years, 8 months ago Mary Griffith
The conversations classmates have at 40th class reunions mostly involve healthcare. We get to hear all about knee replacement surgeries, hypertension treatments, cataracts, and frankly, almost every body part that has been ravaged as classmates lurch toward 60. We remember our classmates who have died too soon and we wish they were with us and we wonder if we'll be around for the 45th. Then we have to discuss the health ailments of our parents. Those who have already buried mom and dad try to give support to those who are searching for a good nursing home, or struggling with caring for aging parents who expect those almost 60 year old children to care for them. Finally we get to be a bit jealous of classmates who have retired early. Their spouse is still working and can provide health insurance benefits. At the 40th class reunion, we don't really talk much about our careers. We mostly talk about what we hope to do when we no longer have to work. We hope we will be healthy enough to travel and spoil the grandkids. Riding home from my 40th class reunion, I realized my grandmother was spot on when she said, "If you've got your health, you've got everything". She was really, really, really old when she first said that to me. I bet she was almost 60.
