I was blessed with two daughters and one son. Both daughters are self sufficient and are doing well. My son however has refused to grow up. I have pleaded with him his whole life and warned him about time and getting old and how a persons window of opportunity is constantly closing 24/7/365 and it takes about 40 years from teen age to fully close. He is a hard worker, good hearted, overly generous with what little he has. He has a natural charm about him that is irresistible to others. He has always thrown caution to the wind, is very careless and never worries about consequences. Extremely stubborn and hardheaded.
He has caused me so much worry and stress his entire life that I have often wondered if he was sent here to repay me for every wrong thing I have done. He will turn fifty soon. His hair is almost white. his skin looks like leather, his eyes are fading and he is physically slowing down. Just two days ago he said to me, dad. You know, everything you have ever told me is exactly right. I’m gonna be fifty and I don’t have a pot to wiz in or a window to throw it out of.
What am I going to do if anything happens to you or mom? I’m scared dad. At first I thought, he’s playing me again, it’s another con. That’s his M.O live wild and free until he crashes, then come cozy up to mom and dad. I hope and pray that he is sincere, I felt that he was. I’ve always desired to see him stand on his own two feet. make a life for himself and be happy. take responsibility for himself. At least my hope is renewed that he is waking up. I hope I live to see it. It will make passing a lot easier. Amazing how strong and powerful love is.
I don’t know how I missed this post, I’m just seeing it now as I’m heading to bed, but need to respond.
First and foremost, I eill be keeping your son in my prayers, along with you and your wife. I’m sure this has been awfully hard on both of you.
As for your son…If you felt he was being sincere, I think he was. You are his dad after all! You good old wisdom is what got you this far, rigjt? 
You know, it took me awhile to grow up albeit I was late 20’s and i know I worried my parents as well. Maybe you meed to think of all this as God refining you and the wife! 
Keep praying and I will be praying right along with you. 
Hand this all over to God…I can see good things happening for your son.
Thanks for the kind words. The main reason I shared this was that maybe somebody else on this site that has suffered a wayward child will know that it’s not just them. It is horrible to watch one of your kids destroy their life. Rejecting all instruction and repeating the same mistakes over and over and over and never learning from them and is seemingly blind to the burden he puts on the entire family. Of course, if we didn’t love him and care for him it wouldn’t be a problem.
Well, in reality…I hate to admit this, but I was one heck of kid growing up and that carried on for quite some time. I don’t know how my parents were able to handle it. BUT…one day a flip switched in my head and everything changed. I’m praying that same switch has flipped in your sons head as well. I will say this…I don’t really regret all of what I did as it made me the person I am today. I literally dropped all my friends overnight. I thank God for seeing me through all that crap. I think the kicker was seeing my bestfriend at the time cheating on her husband. That was the final straw.
Continued prayers and know you are not alone. I hope some others can chime in with their experiences. I just thought I would share what it was like from my point of view - being the rebellious one.