The final stage of growing up is when we become the caretakers of our ailing parents, and sadly when we lay them to rest.

Man, have I been sick. Not as sick as the time I had the flu and in a feverish moment of dementia looked up at my wife, who is black and now my ex-wife, and called her "Mom." It was a moment of helplessness and innocence, which any other woman might have found endearing, but this woman snarled at.

There is something special about illness, not serious life-threatening illness, but the kind that does require caretaking and nurturing that one almost longs for, both the illness and the nurturing.

For the past four days, I've been pretty darn sick with eyes, ears, throat, and chest infection, taking antibiotics, and antibacterial eyedrops, drinking lots of tea, and maximizing my bedtime. I even took two days off work. And although I wouldn't allow anyone to caretake me, because I was contagious, I had plenty of attention from family and friends calling regularly to check up on me.

Thanks everyone. I'm feeling better. Now leave me the Hell alone!

The most serious problem adults face besides bills and having to take care of someone besides themselves is losing the child inside.

The games we used to play, such as skimming stones across a pond, jumping in a puddle and splashing around, avoiding sidewalk cracks, popping bubblegum, using a straw to blow milk bubbles, yelling "Hello" in a tunnel to hear it echo, rolling down a grassy hill, and more are all essential ingredients if we are to retain our connection to ourselves, and to the simple pleasures we garner from daily life. We must be willing to be silly and laugh aloud regardless of our age.

These are warnings my mother presented to me as I was growing up:

• If you hold your face like that long enough, it will freeze that way.
  
• You are going to drive me to an early grave.
  
• I hope your children do to you, what you've done to me.
  
• As far as you all are concerned, I'm nothing more than a maid around here.
  
• If you go out without a hat, you will catch a cold.