Boomer Blahs

It's been one of the major stories the last few days or weeks that starting today 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day for the next 19 years.

Everytime they report it, it pisses me off.

My mom loved the fact that she was a "Boomer." She loved that her dad had served in Europe during the war.  She loved that she had graduated in the 60s.  She just identified so much with the boomers (even though she looked and acted more like a Gen-Xer)

So it pisses me off that she was cheated of this next great milestone.  She stayed home with my sisters and myself until we were in school, then went to work for a bank and later became the switchboard operator at our county courthouse for 20 years.  Neither job was going to make her rich.  She lived modestly, and socked away as much as she could for retirement. 

I'm annoyed that she worked all those years, and saved for a retirement that she will never get!

Then I start to wonder if I'm doing the same thing.  If my mom had a heart attack at 63, and she had sisters that died at 50 and 55 from cancer.... what are the odds that I'll live long enough to spend the money I'm putting away for retirement?  Should I be staying home with my boys now to get as much time with them as possible?  I don't think I could do it.  My mom dedicated her life to everyone around her.  How selfish am I that I don't do the same?

Thank goodness the one thing that she and my dad ALWAYS spent money on was vacation.  Some of my very best memories of my mom, dad, and sisters happened while we were on vacation together.  My mom "not sleeping" or sleeping under blankets in 120 weather.

Hopefully if I at least follow in that example of making vacation time together my top priority and continue to make some great memories with my boys, it will be a good compromise for still working away from them.