Night Music: The Who, “My Generation”

My dad is old and he has lost almost everything that makes life worth living but his mind, which is still working overtime clocking the stuff that happens. But isn’t that great at enjoying the daily stuff that is happening outside himself.

I’ve spent much of the last week in the Sunshine State trying to figure out a way for him to live the best life he can in his decline. The hell of it is he can still be charming and funny, but the toll taken by his body’s decline means he’s often playing a defensive game. And he’s not that charming or funny, because even at his most expansive he’s thinking more about what he isn’t than what anyone else is.

It’s awful.

Plus, he’s pretty much constantly fending off those who want to strip him of his liberty, which is to his credit. Except that the facts of the last couple of years show he can’t really handle liberty. Given choice, he chooses badly (or at least, the way of the rotting flesh).

I think an 86 year old has the right to choose badly, as long as they’re not bringing those around them down too, and unfortunately he has a wife who is apparently incapable of escaping his vortex. So he’s not helping her, at the least.

Which makes me think I don’t want to ever get old. Oops.

4 thoughts on “Night Music: The Who, “My Generation”

  1. Make it three. My parents are still healthy. Not looking forward to the inevitable though, whether it’s sudden or drawn out.

    Being middle aged isn’t at all what I thought it would be, for what little thought I gave it as a kid and a young man. I guess I imagined it as nothing more than cruise control and enjoying the spoils of all the hard work I’d done earlier.

    Not.

  2. Sorry man. Life (and death) are amazing and wonderful, but that includes difficult as part of the spectrum.

    OTOH, the Who are my all time fave band and I will always love this song. In fact I stole “i hope I die before I get old” for my song “Not Too Old” on my album as a truism and an homage.

    Peace out.

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