Piercing Questions

Minor web searching hasn't helped yet so I throw myself on the knowledgebase of my LJ friends. :-)

I have a nipple piercing which, after five or six years, is now migrating. One end of the piercing (medial) seems to be firmly anchored where my piercer put it, but the other (lateral) is slowly pushing toward the surface of the nipple.

The problem was probably made worse by putting too-small jewelry in. Three months ago I had to remove my 12ga. ring for surgery, and since I wasn't told about this requirement ahead of time, I didn't have a good plan. After I slept off the anaesthetic I couldn't put the 12ga. back. I put in an 18ga. I had lying around. Then I was lazy and didn't get it stretched back out.

It's now feeling pretty fragile. At the "bad" end, I can see the ring through the skin.

My Questions:
1) Anything I can do to save this one? Do I have to give up?
2) If I repierce, how long should I wait after pulling this ring out?
3) Years ago, my other nipple piercing migrated within weeks and the jewelry was removed -- but it never fully closed. If I repierce this one, is there anything I can do to make sure the remains of the first piercing will close?
4) Any idea why this happens? Can I help prevent it in the future?

Giving to the future

I was just watching my neighbor pull into his driveway. Two energetic children tumbled out of the van, and Daddy made sure to get something brightly-colored from the back seat. He was in business attire complete with tie, so it was clear he'd picked up the children on his way home from work.

All those little things that go along with parenting, I thought. He picked them up; he's carrying that tote bag or whatever into the house for them. They may never consciously remember that he did this today.

I realize raising a family is one of those things that give meaning to people's lives. What's his purpose, today? The point of his life? In part, it's to work in many ways small and large to ensure his children get food and schooling and whatever else they'll need. In a way, parents are producing something for later. Their work lays a foundation for people who will (hopefully) outlive them. I could look at it as seeking immortality, I suppose. I could look at it as selfish promotion of one's own genes. Today I choose to see it as giving to the future.

Some people give to the future through innovation. The more inventions are made today, the more choices and possibilities are available for people tomorrow. Some people give to the future through their day jobs: teaching, for example, or working for the environment, or building roads. Some people discover a polio vaccine or write classic plays. Some set up scholarship funds.

I want to give to the future. And I haven't. My day job, when I had one, didn't even give to the present. I won't be raising a family. I want to think more about the ways I'd like to give to the future.

Is giving to the future important to you? If so, what ways are meaningful to you?