Over the last months, I have kidded around about Geriatric Hell and the angst associated dealing with aging parents. Yes, it’s upsetting and yes, it’s frustrating.  But the hell, the hell is really theirs not ours. Theirs is the hell of being trapped in a body that doesn’t work anymore. Theirs is the hell of realizing you’ve lost those precious memories that you once held dear. Theirs is the fear that comes when you know you can no longer care for yourself or your spouse.  Theirs is the hell of knowing that soon you will be without the partner you shared the last 61 years of your life with.  The rest of us are on the fringe. We are wandering around purgatory feeling some of the heat but by no means being burned by the fire.  Some of our hell is the realization that some day we will all be where they are. We will all get old. Our bodies will wear out. Our minds will fade.  What can we do?  The only thing we can do is be the best person we can be right now.  We can show our parents that they were a success in life by being the kind of human beings that they can leave this world being proud that they created. We can teach our children and grandchildren by our actions. When hell is all around, we can love one another and open the gates of heaven.