sharing a personal anecdote in hope that it relays a message I just made a trip to visit my parents after a few weeks (a few hour flight) and found out my mom had taken a bad fall the day before while trying to purchase something from the hardware store. There was a paint can with the lid left open and when she went to pick it up, the entire thing fell on her leading her to slip and fall. Luckily, my sister was with her at the time but she had to end up calling an ambulance to take her to the ER where she spent the entire day. No fractures etc. but she has pre-existing health conditions which makes for a problematic recovery- arthritis and a herniated disc in her spine. All of this was kept from me so I found out the minute I got home. When I asked why I wasn't told - the answer my mom gave me was: "I didn't want you to get stressed out." This was difficult to hear especially seeing her in extreme discomfort even now. Seeing my parents getting older and experiencing various health issues has been taking a toll on me the past few years - this is something I mostly keep to myself because as their eldest son I want to be the pillar of the family. All of this to say, let this be a reminder to cherish your parents. If you can't be with them in person as much as you would like, call them and when you do spend time with them, make sure to not take it for granted. I had to think a few times if I just wanted to save this to my drafts because I'm being really vulnerable here but I'm clicking post because even if one person reading this ends up getting the message - then it was worth it.

appreciate all the kind messages 🙏 thank you