The images of the tsunami in Japan over the weekend bring are quite shocking. It's another reminder from mother nature that even if man considers himself to "rule" this earth, we are not really in charge. At best, we have "leased" this planet - that's all! One day, man will past like the dinorsaurs before us.....
2 years ago, a smaller event took place on Jan 2009 (I just started work in Athens in Dec 2008) that helped evoke the thoughts and motivations that I needed to start living the life I wanted NOW - not later......
That event set off a series of reflections and actions that culminated to my current target of choosing the lifestyle I wanted by end of this year. "NOW" takes 3 years.....
It's the emergency plane landing at the Hudson river in New York.
In my job, I do travel from cities to cities by air every 2 to 3 months. What if it happens to me? Some of the plane survivors took the "miracle" as an opportunity to press the "reset" button; while some I guess went back to their old routines.
Looking at the Tsunami in Japan today brings back the same feelings.
We like to plan this plan that. We put off our dreams and desires until the "fabled" retirement date. When I'm retired, I will do this and that we "promise" ourselves. But the retirement date keeps getting pushed back..... What if our number is up before this date? Or we no longer have the health and energy to enjoy the fruits of our labour? What if our accumulated nest-egg is wiped out by a natural event?
We blame the goverment and society for the ever increasing "official" retirement date. But we forget that if we are doing the things we like NOW, there's no such things as retirement. And if we take responsibility for our own lifestyle choices and financial decisions, WHEN we can retire is not decided by government - it's us.
Start living today. Don't put it off to another day.
2 years ago, a smaller event took place on Jan 2009 (I just started work in Athens in Dec 2008) that helped evoke the thoughts and motivations that I needed to start living the life I wanted NOW - not later......
That event set off a series of reflections and actions that culminated to my current target of choosing the lifestyle I wanted by end of this year. "NOW" takes 3 years.....
It's the emergency plane landing at the Hudson river in New York.
In my job, I do travel from cities to cities by air every 2 to 3 months. What if it happens to me? Some of the plane survivors took the "miracle" as an opportunity to press the "reset" button; while some I guess went back to their old routines.
Looking at the Tsunami in Japan today brings back the same feelings.
We like to plan this plan that. We put off our dreams and desires until the "fabled" retirement date. When I'm retired, I will do this and that we "promise" ourselves. But the retirement date keeps getting pushed back..... What if our number is up before this date? Or we no longer have the health and energy to enjoy the fruits of our labour? What if our accumulated nest-egg is wiped out by a natural event?
We blame the goverment and society for the ever increasing "official" retirement date. But we forget that if we are doing the things we like NOW, there's no such things as retirement. And if we take responsibility for our own lifestyle choices and financial decisions, WHEN we can retire is not decided by government - it's us.
Start living today. Don't put it off to another day.
Well said, and thanks for sharing your thougts. CH SGP
ReplyDeleteThank you CH SGP for your kind words.
ReplyDelete