woodman
23rd January 2021, 06:51 PM
I've been thinking about starting a thread about retirement. So, here it is. I retired from my business 2 1/2 years ago and it's been a hell of an education. I figure there are a lot of folks on this forum who can not only relate but add some really fine additions to this thread.
Should be a good ride.
I miss working. Also, I do not miss working. I miss waking up early and having coffee and thinking about the day before me and how I will handle the various tasks. I still wake up early and have coffee and think about the day ahead but the various tasks are few in number now. One thing is true and that is that the only thing that really makes something precious is that there is a limit on it. So my time is no longer as precious as it once was. It is still very precious though and one aspect of that is that I realize as I am getting older and no longer chasing my tail so fast that I can't take time to ponder what is before me, that my time is running out. It won't be long in the scheme of things, that I take my last breath; that I go into that final retirement that all of us have coming.
I miss lying in bed at night and thinking about the problems that I am confronted with and knowing that somewhere in sleepland my solutions will be found. It is profound you know, that phrase 'sleep on it', because in the morning I would find that somehow some higher power had imparted to me a solution. The solutions were not always perfect but never-the-less they usually were as elegant as I could wish for. I still lie in bed and think about problems and solutions but there is a difference between the intricacies of running a business and a crew and merely worrying about or considering the many aspects of living in general.
I still have people who rely on me but it is a whole different game now.
Yeah, I miss working but I don't miss the stress. The stress and anxiety were killing me. I am always reminded of that movie with Clint Eastwood 'The Outlaw Josey Whales', a really great movie, where he says to the bounty hunter that claims "A man's go to make a living." "Dyin' ain't much of a livin' boy." Isn't that the truth; Dying isn't much of a living. And it doesn't have to be that way.
Here we are in the land of plenty, scratching and fighting for scraps and killing each other and for no good reason. It is true that adversity and striving can shape us and turn us into lean mean fighting machines, carving out a niche for ourselves and our progeny and creating goods and services that might not ever have been created had not we been urged by necessity to become more than just a simple gatherer of scattered, freely available and simple needs. However, there is a darker side to this example and that is that when we are forced to struggle so fiercely for that which should be easily available, it makes us more predatory; not that we are predatory by nature, for I don't believe that is a forgone conclusion, but there are uber-predators out there and they have hijacked our economy and sucked much of the joy out of life.
So...here we are in the land of plenty, the land of milk and honey, worried about how we are going to make ends meet. The central banks and the over-reaching government have changed the landscape to one of scarcity and fighting for scraps.
But I am over that now, aren't I? I am still worried about how I will navigate the troubled financial waters ahead of me. I retired at 60 and started taking Social Security at 62. I don't get much but it is enough to pay simple utility bills and provide food. I consider getting part time work but I really can't stand the thought of working hourly for a wage after having my own business for many years. I have been driving for the Amish lately but the money is really nothing and I just do it to feel useful to my fellow man. Also the Amish amuse me, so that is a plus. From what I can tell, I amuse the Amish also.
So here I am, 62, retired and everyday is an amazing miracle. I am still a grouchy old fart and the grandkids test me and I test them. I sure would like to find a warm pasture in the south or anywhere warm for my bones in the wintertime. I also find it difficult to live in the Commie state of Michigan where people think our bitch Governor has the right to tell us how to live our lives and command us to shut down our livelihoods.
I have much to add to this but this is all I can muster at the moment and I would love to hear wisdoms and stories from others here.
Should be a good ride.
I miss working. Also, I do not miss working. I miss waking up early and having coffee and thinking about the day before me and how I will handle the various tasks. I still wake up early and have coffee and think about the day ahead but the various tasks are few in number now. One thing is true and that is that the only thing that really makes something precious is that there is a limit on it. So my time is no longer as precious as it once was. It is still very precious though and one aspect of that is that I realize as I am getting older and no longer chasing my tail so fast that I can't take time to ponder what is before me, that my time is running out. It won't be long in the scheme of things, that I take my last breath; that I go into that final retirement that all of us have coming.
I miss lying in bed at night and thinking about the problems that I am confronted with and knowing that somewhere in sleepland my solutions will be found. It is profound you know, that phrase 'sleep on it', because in the morning I would find that somehow some higher power had imparted to me a solution. The solutions were not always perfect but never-the-less they usually were as elegant as I could wish for. I still lie in bed and think about problems and solutions but there is a difference between the intricacies of running a business and a crew and merely worrying about or considering the many aspects of living in general.
I still have people who rely on me but it is a whole different game now.
Yeah, I miss working but I don't miss the stress. The stress and anxiety were killing me. I am always reminded of that movie with Clint Eastwood 'The Outlaw Josey Whales', a really great movie, where he says to the bounty hunter that claims "A man's go to make a living." "Dyin' ain't much of a livin' boy." Isn't that the truth; Dying isn't much of a living. And it doesn't have to be that way.
Here we are in the land of plenty, scratching and fighting for scraps and killing each other and for no good reason. It is true that adversity and striving can shape us and turn us into lean mean fighting machines, carving out a niche for ourselves and our progeny and creating goods and services that might not ever have been created had not we been urged by necessity to become more than just a simple gatherer of scattered, freely available and simple needs. However, there is a darker side to this example and that is that when we are forced to struggle so fiercely for that which should be easily available, it makes us more predatory; not that we are predatory by nature, for I don't believe that is a forgone conclusion, but there are uber-predators out there and they have hijacked our economy and sucked much of the joy out of life.
So...here we are in the land of plenty, the land of milk and honey, worried about how we are going to make ends meet. The central banks and the over-reaching government have changed the landscape to one of scarcity and fighting for scraps.
But I am over that now, aren't I? I am still worried about how I will navigate the troubled financial waters ahead of me. I retired at 60 and started taking Social Security at 62. I don't get much but it is enough to pay simple utility bills and provide food. I consider getting part time work but I really can't stand the thought of working hourly for a wage after having my own business for many years. I have been driving for the Amish lately but the money is really nothing and I just do it to feel useful to my fellow man. Also the Amish amuse me, so that is a plus. From what I can tell, I amuse the Amish also.
So here I am, 62, retired and everyday is an amazing miracle. I am still a grouchy old fart and the grandkids test me and I test them. I sure would like to find a warm pasture in the south or anywhere warm for my bones in the wintertime. I also find it difficult to live in the Commie state of Michigan where people think our bitch Governor has the right to tell us how to live our lives and command us to shut down our livelihoods.
I have much to add to this but this is all I can muster at the moment and I would love to hear wisdoms and stories from others here.