-- Miles Kington
Pursuing active retirement. Seeing the world. Striving for an agile mind, body, and spirit.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Thought for the Day -- Miles Kington
Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting them in fruit salad.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Quote of the Day -- Ambrose Bierce
They're so young and maybe they've never suffered, but...
One of my favorite blogs is Marc and Angel Hack Life. They do a great job of bringing together ideas about how to do better and feel better every day, but...
My book club had this debate recently. We had read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
I have great admiration for people who have suffered tragedy or hardship and don't (like my book club friend) resent those who haven't. People like me whose lives have gone along pretty smoothly feel strong twinges of guilt when we see the misfortunes of others, particularly our friends and relatives. And I confess to being a bit superstitious as well, muttering "there but for the grace of God go I."
It isn't my fault that my life has been more fortunate than others. Certainly, I've worked hard and been careful, but so have others I know who are not so fortunate. I hope that my good fortune makes me both empathetic and generous. And yet, I think I'm still entitled to strive for improvement, to seek enrichment, and read advice about how to relish each moment and make it a little better. You never know how long the good moments will last, so why not live them to the fullest?
My book club had this debate recently. We had read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
I have great admiration for people who have suffered tragedy or hardship and don't (like my book club friend) resent those who haven't. People like me whose lives have gone along pretty smoothly feel strong twinges of guilt when we see the misfortunes of others, particularly our friends and relatives. And I confess to being a bit superstitious as well, muttering "there but for the grace of God go I."
It isn't my fault that my life has been more fortunate than others. Certainly, I've worked hard and been careful, but so have others I know who are not so fortunate. I hope that my good fortune makes me both empathetic and generous. And yet, I think I'm still entitled to strive for improvement, to seek enrichment, and read advice about how to relish each moment and make it a little better. You never know how long the good moments will last, so why not live them to the fullest?
Friday, May 24, 2013
Reflections on a "Do It Now" Retirement
Do it now! -- Duane Comport (1923-2012)
Many other people have no doubt said this, but my dad made the biggest impression on me with these words. |
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Fortunately, my mom's illness proved to be symptom-free for quite a long time. It got her in the end, in February of 2012, but until the last two months, she was relatively healthy and mentally as sharp as ever. So I had the luxury of learning to be retired and doing all the things I wanted to do, more or less, while still spending time with my parents.
Without the daily grind and monster to-do list, life becomes a wonderful and scary blank slate. A retiree's to-do list becomes mostly a list of your own making, with your own idiosyncratic priorities. And things that you thought you would do, such as writing regular blog posts, somehow keep getting shuffled to the bottom of the list.
I recently took a fun class -- at least fun for a "writing nerd" like me. The class reminded me of how much I love to write, which I know is hard to believe because most people hate to write. I also started reading the wonderfully funny book Eats, Shoots and Leaves. I found myself saying over and over "I wish I'd written that." So I'm determined to give it a whirl. I'm not completely sure what my "voice" will be. But here I am... Just Jelan.
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