[coach]

My Dad is Florida-bound; his dream is finally coming true. I think we started watching informational videos on The Villages about 15 years ago, but at the time none of us were sure if we were humoring my Dad or if he was serious. Now we know. My Dad is retiring this week. He is moving to The Villages. Even though I have known this move has been coming for months (years actually), it still took my breath when the time came.

My Dad...my maker of chicken pie...the one who is always on my side and thinks I am hilarious, the one who thinks I am great even when I am wrong and is always proud of me...how can he be leaving? Who will tell me how to make dressing or give me directions on random SC roads (yes, he will have a phone in Florida; I am being dramatic, but I am overly emotional and that is how I respond to things).

So I spent a lot time thinking-searching my heart for why I felt pain. I have gone back to so many summer memories. My dad would always be out in the yard cleaning the pool, piddling with plants, and messing in the garden in the lot next door. Saying that I helped would be untrue, I basically walked along "over-seeing" his work and talking incessantly. I learned to play cards and shag and learned the lyrics to just about every beach song that came on the radio. I did gymnastics in the front yard and back flips off the diving board (sorry for the gray hairs that caused). It really does not seem like very long ago.

So I think I put my finger on it. The moving away doesn't hurt nearly as bad as the aging does. It's just unbelievable to me that my Dad is old enough to retire and move to a retirement community. Life really is just a vapor.

My dad started watching videos years ago and knew what he wanted to do. He planned and he achieved his goal! Now I am the proud one!
For 50 years my Dad has been working.
I do not remember him taking a sick day.
I don't even remember him sleeping late.
Now he gets to spend his days filled with golf, messing around in the yard, and socializing with friends...all the things he loves.

I want him to know how much I love him and how HAPPY I am that he gets to have his days in the Florida sun.
Now I'm going to go out and plant my garden...and I'll call for directions on how deep to bury the plants! Like my Dad, I have over-seers who will be happy to talk my ear off while I do all the work.

[quirky3]

I think you can each be proud of one another!

[jnieman]

You sound like a very loving daughter. I'm sure you will miss him, but we're pretty much only 2 hours away by plane from anywhere and there is always Skype! Your dad will fit right in down here with all of us with the same dreams. It'll be everything he dreamed about and more and he'll probably get in the best shape of his life both mentally and physically. Oh, and I forgot to mention that once we move here we get lots and lots of visitors!

[SukiChu]

Wow. What a thoughtful daughter. (Bring on the tears.) We are leaving our daughter, son in law, and grandchildren too for something we know is right for us at this time in our lives. Congrats to you Coach! We are right behind you.

[2BNTV]

Beautiful post.

[CaptJohn]

Very, very nice and reflective.

[jane032657]

I am still aching about leaving my daughter. I hope she moves to the East Coast. We are excited to move, cannot wait but leaving her makes my heart sad even with everyone's words of wisdom last time we discussed this on TOTV. She is in New York this weekend, I hope eventually she will meet someone from the East Coast and move there and live happily ever after near us!!!!

[hotrodgirl]

What a lovely and thoughtful tribute not only to your Dad, but your parents. A passing of generations, and you too will retire one day and have your children be just as proud of you! Your parents must be lovely people and will certainly thrive down in TV with the rest of us lucky ones. They will undoubtably look forward to your visits, and will gladly show you the wonderful new discoveries they are making! There will be new memories, a strengthening of souls, and for you, a chance to see your parents thrive in a new environment! You are both lucky to have each other! Well said!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by coach

My Dad is Florida-bound; his dream is finally coming true. I think we started watching informational videos on The Villages about 15 years ago, but at the time none of us were sure if we were humoring my Dad or if he was serious. Now we know. My Dad is retiring this week. He is moving to The Villages. Even though I have known this move has been coming for months (years actually), it still took my breath when the time came.

My Dad...my maker of chicken pie...the one who is always on my side and thinks I am hilarious, the one who thinks I am great even when I am wrong and is always proud of me...how can he be leaving? Who will tell me how to make dressing or give me directions on random SC roads (yes, he will have a phone in Florida; I am being dramatic, but I am overly emotional and that is how I respond to things).

So I spent a lot time thinking-searching my heart for why I felt pain. I have gone back to so many summer memories. My dad would always be out in the yard cleaning the pool, piddling with plants, and messing in the garden in the lot next door. Saying that I helped would be untrue, I basically walked along "over-seeing" his work and talking incessantly. I learned to play cards and shag and learned the lyrics to just about every beach song that came on the radio. I did gymnastics in the front yard and back flips off the diving board (sorry for the gray hairs that caused). It really does not seem like very long ago.

So I think I put my finger on it. The moving away doesn't hurt nearly as bad as the aging does. It's just unbelievable to me that my Dad is old enough to retire and move to a retirement community. Life really is just a vapor.

My dad started watching videos years ago and knew what he wanted to do. He planned and he achieved his goal! Now I am the proud one!
For 50 years my Dad has been working.
I do not remember him taking a sick day.
I don't even remember him sleeping late.
Now he gets to spend his days filled with golf, messing around in the yard, and socializing with friends...all the things he loves.

I want him to know how much I love him and how HAPPY I am that he gets to have his days in the Florida sun.
Now I'm going to go out and plant my garden...and I'll call for directions on how deep to bury the plants! Like my Dad, I have over-seers who will be happy to talk my ear off while I do all the work.

Oh my. I couldn't see to finish reading this beautiful work of love. Bless you both.

[rjm1cc]

Very nice.

[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Oh my. I couldn't see to finish reading this beautiful work of love. Bless you both.

[KeepingItReal]

....

[JoeC1947]

Coach,

That was a very good summation of the relationship of you and your dad. You are and will always be "Daddy's little girl". Your dad will have lots of fun here because this is not a retirement community, it's a place for retired and non-retired to come and have fun!
Obliviously you will need to come down from time to time to "oversee" his tropical gardening skills!

Best of luck to you both!

PS. Although physical visits are the best, SKYPE is pretty good for virtual visits.

[ilovetv]

So nice to see emotions expressed and validated this way. There is another way of looking at this:

"The moving away doesn't hurt nearly as bad as the aging does. It's just unbelievable to me that my Dad is old enough to retire and move to a retirement community."........

Coming here is not exactly "retiring".....most of us have become reACTIVATed in doing all kinds of things we never had the time, energy nor money to do while working and raising a family.

We look at this lifestyle as extension of our youth and lifespan. "Aging" really does not come to mind as we watch our neighbors and friends here, who have far more energy and smiles than the average 40 year old who's strapped to job, mortgage, teens and peer pressure, and trying to save for their college education while hoping to not get downsized out of their career job at age 51.

The freedom and vitality here definitely counteract aging.

[missypie]

And for this reason we bought a lot in Fernandina....