The Restory Retreat Centre

  Growing Older The Conversation Elements From The Conversation Annie Dillard's advice on writing is also applicable to life in general.  Music May the wisdom that comes with age, help you to do Mary Oliver's 3 things. All our love. George & Matilda

The above picture quote was the last straw. I came across it in the course of the week and the moment I saw it again after so many years, I knew it was time. A number of other quotes all of a sudden came to mind as well. To me, quotes are quite often gateways to meditation. It all forms part of a topic announcing itself again. Not in the sense that it has announced itself before and I’ve ignored it – although I’ve thought about it on previous occasions. More in the sense that I am again entering the time of a certain topic coming to the fore unexpectedly on different occasions. As if to say: “It is my time. Look at me.” As other topics have done in the past. With me and my dad living on the farm, I am constantly confronted with and I am witnessing a person’s struggle to accept old age. My father has been very active all his life. He is a fitter and turner by trade, spent years in engineering workshops, but also repaired cars, built houses and farmed among other things....

 Our fathers(Wills Angus and Frans Marais) in a happy mood in Wakkerstroom.  We spent the past weekend in Wakkerstroom with both our fathers and extended family. The purpose of the visit was to acquaint them with the retirement village where we hope to have them both settled in and cared for. It is a difficult process for all of us. For them, because any big change at their age has a huge impact on them, and this move may not be what they prefer. Which is the exact reason it makes it extremely difficult for us personally to be the ones to have to make the decision in their best interest.     I know we are not alone in this. We see many of our friends being confronted with the challenges of caring for elderly parents lately. Not only because people tend to live longer, but also because we do not have a governmental support system of facilities and caretaking in South Africa.     To have found a center like Dana Care Center in Wakkerstroom is a God-send...