Community Chat

[Sooner]

If you are an only child of older parents, this is a fact of life possibly earlier in your life than most.   My cousins were mostly old enough to be my parents.

One member is still alive, but has dementia.  There are a couple just a few years older, but I haven't seen them in years.  

So, I'm here.  And I'm very happy to be here.  You can think about them sometimes and think about good memories you are fortunate to have, or dwell on it and be sad.  

[Iwantcoffee]

I have a photo that is over 50 years old of myself, my parents, grandparents and my dad's brother and his wife. I am the only one living. I loved them all dearly and miss them very much.

I grieve never having siblings or a large extended family.

The most painful loss was my son. No words.

[chessylady]

My Dad's 95 and is in hospice with terminal cancer. He lives in a care home where he receives excellent care. I am the eldest of 4 children. There is a story that all your family is lined up in chronological order in front of a cliff. As each member falls off the cliff( dies) the next person then stands in front of the cliff. I am next up. 

[gardenman]

It's funny as I have three of the picture frames with ten to fifteen family photos in each of them and of all the pictures, only one has anyone but me that's still alive. And she's an aunt who lives far away. Being the sole survivor is both good and bad. It's good as you don't have to worry about those you leave behind and there will be lots of people waiting on the other side for you. The bad is you're on your own. When you're young there's a long list of people you can call on for help. Now, I'm all that's left. It takes some getting used to. I go to the hospital and they ask, "Who's your emergency contact?" And there's no one who pops to mind.

[qualitygal]

Sometimes the sadness of those memories, is overwhelmingly sad to me.  I try to remember the good times of the day that picture was taken in.  

[qualitygal]

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@chessylady wrote:

My Dad's 95 and is in hospice with terminal cancer. He lives in a care home where he receives excellent care. I am the eldest of 4 children. There is a story that all your family is lined up in chronological order in front of a cliff. As each member falls off the cliff( dies) the next person then stands in front of the cliff. I am next up. 

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Trust me on this, it doesn't always happen that way.  

[bonnielu]

I have pictures like that also.  Brings back good memories and good times. When I am  gone I hope someone has my picture and I hope they remember me in a way that reflects what I have stood and worked for all my lifetime.  I want to be a role model.  My fathers advice.  Put people first, never things.  Do  that and you will have a good life.  And my favorite------ G-d's greatest gift is a good nights sleep.  You go to bed never having intentionally causing someone harm.  You can sleep  well. Every morning  I wake up saying, " Today is the first day of the rest of my life,  make it count."

[Judaline]

Maybe a little off topic. Too sad to talk about my photos but I was watching Rebel Without a Cause the other day and I thought, they're all dead!!! James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Nick Adams!! All young!! It really got to me. Only "Buzz" is still with us-Corey Allen.

[beckyb1012]

When I lost my brother in Feb. of this year I became the last one of our immediate family.  Mom, Dad, little sister and little brother all gone ahead of me.  I always knew one of us would be the last one standing but I never thought it would be me, the oldest child and only in my 50's.  It is a very strange feeling.