A I write this, I’m sitting here listening to a radio channel on iHeart radio called iHeart 70s and it’s taking me back to my childhood. In 1976, fifty years ago, the number one television show in the US was a show called Happy Days. It was a wholesome show about a teenager growing up in in the 1950s. In 1976, the show was in its fifth season and the height of its popularity, set in the year 1957. My parents loved it because it was a story about their teenage years.
If a show were made today using the same timelines, that show would be set in the year 2007 and would depict the teenaged years of my children. If you want to know what was happening then, just go back to the early days of this blog, which started that same year. It makes me feel old to even think about it.
I never met my great grandparents. I never even met all of my grandparents.
On my father’s side, my grandfather died 20 years before I was born. I’m now older than he was when he died. My dad’s mother, my grandmother, died when I was 9 years old. In fact, none of the males in the three generations before me on my father’s side lived past the age of 63.
On my mother’s side, the men fared somewhat better. My grandfather on that side lived to be 66 years old, and my great-grandfathers died at the ages of 84 and 72. The women lasted a bit, with my mother dying at 73, and her mother also dying at the age of 73. My great-grandmothers died at the ages of 39 and 66.
In many cases, medicine has advanced over the past generations, and people are living longer. I can say that I am healthier than my dad was at this age. He had already had a heart attack and heart surgery at a couple of years younger than I am now. He was disabled and on Social Security disability just a year older than I am now. I’m still kicking. I just got done mowing the lawn, which my dad was unable to do at this point.
Still, as we get older, we can’t help but wonder how many years we have left. I know there are more years behind me than there are in front of me. I’ve done so much and so many things in my life, it seems incredible to me. I still have so many more things I want to do, see, and experience. I doubt I have enough time left to get through the entire list.
11 Comments
Worker · August 20, 2026 at 6:15 am
Just wait until you’re 80….never, ever thought I’d make to 40. Shocked when 50 rolled around. Disbelief at 70 and now ????80????. Have to admit, it’s been a great ride. Much to reflect on (good times, regrets and such). Best of luck to you in your coming years…
DMLMD · August 20, 2026 at 6:21 am
The mortal coil … Earlier this week, I realized that for the first time in my life of owning dogs, my latest puppy has a statistically small but reasonable chance of outliving me.
AL · August 20, 2026 at 6:39 am
No pressure, but I’m living vicariously through you, so please feel free to go places and do things as much as possible!
Thanks for what you’ve done over the years. For me you’ve done a great job striking the balance between entertainment, education, and inspiration.
SiG · August 20, 2026 at 7:10 am
Similar overlap with you. I was 22 in ’76, and used to watch that show at least sometimes. Didn’t know both grandfathers let alone greats; dad’s father passed away when I was a little kid, like 5 or 6, but mom’s side made it longer – I think he made it until 1980. Dad died of multiple myeloma in ’81, after having it since ’72. Mom made it until 2013. I think I’m in fairly good shape for my age. I was runner in the ’70s and ’80s, turned to a road cyclist in ’94 until about a year ago, after riding my age when I turned 70. It was boredom with the same old rides by myself that led to letting the ride slide. Walking was even more boring. Now I lift weights – which never really wasn’t boring or at least was never enjoyable.
Joe Blow · August 20, 2026 at 7:33 am
There’s a reason Al Bundy was so popular, and it wasn’t entirely Kelly.
sar_scarab · August 20, 2026 at 7:50 am
Time does indeed go past us rather quickly. I turn 75 this October and wonder why everything went by so fast. I remember being a young teenager always thinking that everything was moving in slow motion, and that’s when Viet Nam jumped up and let me know that nothing moved in slow motion anymore. This being retired has moved even faster and I still have too many things to accomplish, complete, and forget. It has been and still is a great ride.
Grumpy51 · August 20, 2026 at 9:11 am
Interesting timing. Yesterday was my grandfather’s birthday (he died in 2007). My offspring were blessed to know their great-grandparents, into their teens. I posted a birthday post on my grandfather to my extended family. He was a major influence on and in my life. While my grandchildren will never personally meet him, by me talking about him (and those gone before), hopefully I can pass on their wisdom, their wit and humor, and who they were. The women in my family live to be in upper 90s, the men in upper 80s/low 90s.
Can’t remember the tribe, but there are 3 deaths – 1) the physical death, 2) the burial, and 3) when no one mentions your name.
Tom Hyland · August 20, 2026 at 11:14 am
I’m curious, DM, were your parents and grandparents smokers? Everybody was back then. My dad died age 57 from smoking. My mom smoked too but a car accident snuffed her out at 56. I started smoking age 14 but quit at age 21, which is totally unheard of. The butts were simply freaking me out. I couldn’t squelch the noise in my head saying, “Why don’t you blow out your brains while you’re at it?” I never heard the voice saying, “Smoooth… Satisfying!”
scarecrow · August 20, 2026 at 8:35 pm
From reading, i know you’re not a believer, but the Bible states that the average number of years allotted to someone is 70-80 years (Psalm 90). When I turned 60, i filled a container with 520 marbles-approximately 1 marble per week for 10 years. At the end of each week, i move one marble to what was an empty container. I keep each container on a shelf in my kitchen. I thought this practice might make me live with a bit more intention and i think it just might be. I don’t want to waste any marbles.
Divemedic · August 21, 2026 at 5:53 am
Nice idea, but a bit too macabre for me. My entire professional career has put death right there in my face. If anything, I would rather not dwell on it.
Beans · August 22, 2026 at 9:50 pm
I only knew my dad’s dad, but he died when I was 8 and he was 64. My dad died when he was 67. Both from widowmaker heart attacks.
My mom’s mom lived to 94 years old finally dying from the third appearance of leukemia. My mom is still alive at 96.
The only relatives I have, really, are my mom and my brothers. The brothers’ children are not reproducing. Our family line dies in 40 years.
My wife is still alive but we never had children, through no lack of trying.
It’s a very small world, getting smaller every year.
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