What will you never take for granted again?

[Deleted member 16014]

On a light note, Costco samples. Hadn’t been since last winter til recently, it wasn’t the same. They just stand there and tell you how good the apple chips are, it’s cruel.

 

[Fj605]

The amount of work it takes to be a stay at home parent. I'm very happy to get the opportunity to do it but it's a workout. Very fortunate that we're still in-person for school.

 

[marshman]

The places that I love to hunt.
I have one dairy farm I have waterfowl hunted on for 29 years, I have never taken these fine people for granted ever, and always have done whatever I could to help them on their farm, send them to town for dinner on me, or just sit and visit after a days hunt. The old man Jim is long in years now at 77, in poor health and I still have found him in the dairy parlor at 05:00 in the morning. I fear the day I will lose him. Not the privilege's of hunting his farm, I know that will endure, but him, and the friendship we have.
Funny, none of this occurs to a 30 something duck hunter who knocks on the door for permission to hunt his farm,(the best in the valley) with "my 12 year old son" in 1988.
Never take the good people and things you find for granted.

 

[44hunter45]

Quite frankly no, does not matter other than my wife of nearly fifty years will mourn my absence and not knowing where my remains rest. My only hope is that my spot be peaceful and range with critters. Yes, dead is dead. I do not fear it as my time has and will continue be an adventure. MTG

I've told Mrs45 to spend the insurance, build a swimming pool and hire a pool boy. I know instead she will use it do give her sons and grandkids what they should have to earn.
No InReach for me. I want a GPS collar with a mortality signal.

 

[44hunter45]

Hunting and fishing with my sons. The youngest turned 28 yesterday. All three are far enough away and have their own lives now. We talk on the phone and they tell me how they wish they could get out with me if they had the time. (Harry Chapin plays in the background somewhere...)

My youngest started fishing with me again in 2020. As a child he hated it and ruined every outing. Now he has discovered that he likes it a lot.

My granddaughter, Miss T, has been a godsend in this regard. I think I am getting her out in the woods to teach her their ways, and I am.
But I do not take for granted how much it is for me also. Her parents split and she lives close to us with her mother and stepdad. My son has moved a full day's drive away.

The corollary is that I will never take for granted the time freedom I had as a free range kid in the 60's and with our sons even 20 years ago. Miss T is so over scheduled at 11 years old I that have to book her two weeks in advance to take her on an outing. I think that planning an adventure is important, but being able to just grab your rifle or fishing rod and running out is too. Or throwing your car camping kit in your rig and hitting skid roads.

 

[LousyResident]

Hunting and fishing with my sons. The youngest turned 28 yesterday. All three are far enough away and have their own lives now. We talk on the phone and they tell me how they wish they could get out with me if they had the time. (Harry Chapin plays in the background somewhere...)

My youngest started fishing with me again in 2020. As a child he hated it and ruined every outing. Now he has discovered that he likes it a lot.

My granddaughter, Miss T, has been a godsend in this regard. I think I am getting her out in the woods to teach her their ways, and I am.
But I do not take for granted how much it is for me also. Her parents split and she lives close to us with her mother and stepdad. My son has moved a full day's drive away.

The corollary is that I will never take for granted the time freedom I had as a free range kid in the 60's and with our sons even 20 years ago. Miss T is so over scheduled at 11 years old I that have to book her two weeks in advance to take her on an outing. I think that planning an adventure is important, but being able to just grab your rifle or fishing rod and running out is too. Or throwing your car camping kit in your rig and hitting skid roads.

I'll tell you that some of us in the younger generations are feeling this as well. I'll be 34 in a couple weeks and have three kiddos myself, ranging from 10 to 4. I'm looking to make a move from FL to TN partially because it will be easier (weather and access) to just spend time outside with the kids and slow down. It's so easy to get over scheduled and never feel like you have time to just idle with the family. That's not how I want to raise my kids.

 

[44hunter45]

I'll tell you that some of us in the younger generations are feeling this as well. I'll be 34 in a couple weeks and have three kiddos myself, ranging from 10 to 4. I'm looking to make a move from FL to TN partially because it will be easier (weather and access) to just spend time outside with the kids and slow down. It's so easy to get over scheduled and never feel like you have time to just idle with the family. That's not how I want to raise my kids.

I have missed a lot birthdays and recitals over the years. I've learned if you want them to be into your thing, you need to be into their thing.