For a self avowed “non-planner”, I think your life plan is pretty danged good.
Rob,
Yeah, I do have a love-hate relationship with planning! Mostly I recognize the need for some of that, but I'm at my best when I do the bare minimum. More of a reasonable 'Strategic Planning' with little to no 'Tactical Planning' kind of guy, I suppose...
Allowing maximum flexibility and being perfectly at ease with changes on the fly help me considerably! Life for this rider has been so filled with glorious, unexpected happenings, I simply don't want to risk missing any of those because of trying to adhere to some arbitrary rigid itinerary... Anyway, it sure works great for me... others may find it a bit spooky...
DDT
What a great memory to have of your friend. I’m sure he is smiling down on you. Whichever direction you head, be safe. I look forward to seeing you soon at the Spring Fling.
Janice,
Yeah, lots of great memories of a truly great friend! I'm sure glad his and my paths crossed and all that followed happened. Being safe is tops on my to-do list! Hauling precious cargo (my be-hind) is the primary task of our girl, and so far, she's done a mighty fine job! Yep, looking forward to seeing you again at the Fling... BTW, I love your avatar! It really 'speaks' to me...
DDT
Boy, I guess that 19 days flew by! I’m off too but only by a few degrees.
John,
Yes indeed! That nearly three-week interlude passed very quickly!!! Now I'm holed up waiting out some drizzle and 40* temps to pass... Oh well, being stationary has allowed my thinking to wander in many, many different directions... Heck, I've already overhauled my 'preliminary plans' multiple times... I'm not sure which way we may head Sunday morning, but... no worries, all roads eventually lead to Hattiesburg for now... I hear ya about being off a few degrees! I'd never 'plumb' either!
DDT
Great read. I'm about to embark on the next season of life, retirement. I keep pushing back the date because I have concerns about the unknown. How will I handle waking up I the morning without a dedicated place to go? I have 4 granddaughters, 2 motorcycles and 2 dogs! I also have a supportive wife 13 years younger who will be working for four more years. I guess these things will keep me busy. Still retirement is a big deal for me!
ValkMC,
Yes, retirement is a very big deal... It's not for everyone, but for most of us it is a truly special and potentially rewarding event. Lots of unknowns to deal with and lots of unexpected things to come to terms with. Having others, e.g., a wife, kids, other family members, etc., involved complicates the issue considerably, also.
All we can do is realistically plan for as many contingencies as we can anticipate, avoid wishful, fanciful thinking, and accept that we must do this... A little faith in ourselves also will help! Once we take the plunge, though, and we realize our worst fears aren't going to materialize, we find our new life to be pretty doggone good! And don't worry about having time on your hands... you'll be laughing at that unfounded concern in no time! Good luck to ya!
DDT
Another good one sir. Full of insightful thoughts. Hard for me to believe that at the end of this year I will have been retired for 10 years. Your date of departure from the time clock was probably 6 or 8 years before. Some like your friend Bob did not get to enjoy retirement so we are fortunate. Seems like only yesterday that you mentioned the 19 day stay as previously posted.
Terry,
Indeed, time most definitely seems to fly by! Those of us fortunate enough who also last long enough to retire are indeed in a good place! Provided, of course, they prepared themselves for the huge transitions and adjustments that come with the deal! Many do not, unfortunately, and for them retirement can be a very scary prospect!
You and Iris laid a substantial foundation for your retirement, and you are now enjoying the rewards of all of your efforts. Congrats! Yeah, I'm also a beneficiary of many things before and after pulling the trigger myself, but... Perhaps the biggest thing by far I did, as did you & Iris, was to prepare myself mentally... My wife and I started from early adulthood! That's but one of the several reasons time seems to rocket right by me most of the time now!!! Hope y'all decide to visit the Fling in Hattiesburg the first weekend in April!
DDT
How will I handle waking up I the morning without a dedicated place to go? I have 4 granddaughters, 2 motorcycles and 2 dogs! I also have a supportive wife 13 years younger who will be working for four more years. I guess these things will keep me busy. Still retirement is a big deal for me!
I thought the same things 6 yrs ago when I retired. Believe me….with all the above you will stay busy.
Digger,
Ahhh, the voice of experience! No need to add anything to your spot-on observation!!!
DDT
Our lives when viewed in the rearview mirror are frequently quite different from what we'd 'seen', projected, and expected when looking ahead through the windshield. We must plan for the future, of course, because it most certainly might come... We must also 'smell the roses' along the way, however, because the future just might not include us... Since we cannot know in advance how things might play-out, striking a balance would seem the wisest choice...
DDT
The whole post was great but I found that paragraph so personally full of truth. It's a bit of wisdom that is on my mind but find difficult to incorporate at times. I'm still trying to train myself not to get caught up in other folks problems. Run my race and not go up in the stands to argue with the spectators, so to speak.
Ross
Ross,
The journey of life is a difficult slog for most of us. Sure, there are many wonderful aspects, of course, but there are other far more challenging things to overcome or come to terms with, too... Successfully managing our interpersonal relationships, and especially meeting our own needs and struggles with values and finding the 'path of truth and right' requires diligent, constant, and earnest effort! That you are not there yet says that you are human like the rest of us. That you struggle to advance says that you are doing what you can to become a truly worthwhile person. I salute you for continuing to fight the good fight! Looking forward to seeing you again at the Fling... It'll be good to compare notes with you again!!!
DDT
Mike,
Life is just one big perpetual adventure for some of us... Hope you escaped injury from use of that rotary hammer! I don't recall ever seeing one of those... or even hearing of such before either! I'm guessing there is a story there... sure hope you'll share it with us. Looking forward to seeing you again at the Fling!
DDT
:cooldude:Good read Bruce. I really like your memory of Bob. He sounds like he was a good friend to you and perhaps not a worrier. That is how I try to operate. I could probably retire now that I'm 62 but I enjoy what I do. I just keep moving forward in life and say my prayers.
I love my time on Renegade and riding with my buddies and close friends. I like meeting others with similar interest but sometimes just the ride solo is all I need. My 1000 + mile ride last week was solo and perfect for me. I do look forward to retirement but not worrying about it until the company that I've worked for, over thirty years now, says "Keith let's talk". Keep'm coming Bruce and see you in Hattiesburg!
Keith,
Lots to ponder with your reply! I hear ya, and I agree that the retirement decision is much more than a simple choice. I've never seen anything 'fixed' in terms of the timing or any other aspect that applies to all of us! When it's right and we're ready, then it's perfect! Otherwise, we're simply trying to make do. You do what makes the most sense to you and yours, and don't be overly influenced by others of us with a different view... I'm looking forward to hanging with you again at the Fling! See ya there!!!
DDT
