COMMENTARY: Giving up the family home

My parents have taken that big step and moved from the family home into a retirement residence.

Although my sisters and I remember it as the house we grew up in, it’s been decades since we lived there. My parents have been for over 50 years.

RELATED: What should you keep when downsizing?

So it was no wonder they held out as long as they could until the responsibility was simply too much.

The place they are now in is great: the residents and staff are everything you could hope for your aging parent.

But as I sat across from my dad at dinner I could see in his eyes he was looking backwards.

As much as he liked where he was, he missed his house, or the perhaps time in his life it represented.

It was as if he was trying to tell me something, but couldn’t.

It made me appreciate life and how in our fast-paced world you should never wish away time.

There is no better time than the present.

RELATED: Planning for a worry-free retirement

It’s not about being young or old, a kid or an adult, but a journey where each stage is a learning experience that leads to a lifetime of growth.

The situation and time may be different but the feelings of change can be very similar.

One thing that is consistent, those who embrace change, will have a lifetime of learning.