As you get older and the kids have finally moved out, you look around your empty nest and remember the happy and fun filled times; where you would have moved heaven and earth for your children, to give them opportunities that you didn’t or couldn’t have.
They make you so proud, but now you sporadically keep up to date with their new couplings, or social activities via Facebook. Or Skype becomes the new ‘how’s your day’ around the dinner table – as the miles of sea and land separate you.
Their lives have become so busy – what with the kids having sports and a deadline at work or the dog needs to go to the vets. Even after ‘catching’ up you still haven’t mentioned your new lifestyle change.
You desperately want to say – there’s a fabulous house in this wonderful community which has your name all over it – it even has space for the caravan. How you are excited and have already planned out next year’s travelling and put your name down for the Halloween Ball and darts team. But with settlement in 12 weeks you are worried on where to begin with sorting through all the mementos and stuff that has accumulated over the years, let alone with your back how you are going to pack and move?
You know they are really busy with their own lives and you don’t want to ‘put them out’ – so you stay quiet. You try and begin, but struggle to let go of items with happy memories attached….and the days pass by. 12 weeks is now 6 and panic is slowly rising.
You deserve a break from moving, so off you go to visit the Life Starts at 50 Expo. As you wander around you chance upon Stand 87.
There you are greeted by people with the warmest smile and who want to move heaven and earth for you.
You don’t have to worry about asking your children anymore, because you learn that the Stand 87 team would simply do ne: thing for you.
Extract first published in the October 2016 edition of Have a Go News.