It happens to all of us.
While I always understood that academically and conceptually, I’ve only come to understand it a bit more when I see our little dog turn “old”. He’s losing his sight, losing his sense of smell and place. He’s even having a hard time picking up treats that he (still) loves but cannot mechanically grab it. Also, he’s having more “accidents” in our home.
I keep a photo of my Aunt on my desk. It’s of her and me (when I was 3 or 4) and we’re exploring some beach. It’s been 11+ years now that she’s been gone but I still miss her. Of course some of us, like my Aunt, pass away long before old age.
Even with the best laid plans, things will go arwy. We know not what the future holds precisely, and that’s precisely why we should be as prepared as we can possibly be.
Even with aging and death staring myself in the face, it’s still hard to remember (on a daily basis) how precious things are. I need to remind myself to be grateful everyday.
“All I want to know is where I’m going to die, so I’ll never go there.”
-Charlie Munger
“I particularly recommend attention to the idea that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—except it really isn’t often a mere pound. An ounce of prevention is often worth a ton of cure.”
-Charlie Munger