Nothing ever ends, the world spins, sun rises and sun sets everything in between is just life. When you think about it, aren't we lucky. The drama and crisis is miserable but without the valleys we would have no realization what we are seeing when we stand on top of the mountain.
Last weekend Darlene and I traveled to western Kansas to visit relatives. The occasion was their farm sale. They are retiring and sold all of their farming equipment at auction. These are people that had been farming for all their life. A very large operation but in western Kansas they are all very large farms to me. Thousands of acres of corn, wheat, beans, the stuff we all depend on for life without a thought of what it takes to get it to our table each night. Massive equipment (mostly green, mid westerners know what that means) brings the earth to life growing and harvesting what we need.
On the 350 mile trip back home we took our time, stopped in Hutchinson, KS and visited a salt mine. 650' underground we went. Decades of salt miners toiled in this deep dark man made cavern. I thought of how these generations of miners complimented what my relatives were doing on their farm. How bland tasting all of that food they were growing would be without the miners so far underground. (if you watch Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe this is the mine he went to mine salt.)
This trip also gave us many miles to discuss the spinning world and time to come with our own retirement. Even ten years ago retirement was not even something we considered but I guess when you are 55 and 56 you start thinking about that question, "What are we going to do with the rest of our life?" Truthfully I cannot imagine retiring for at least another 10 years, no so for Mom. I've got a great job that I love, mom has a job that she is very good at but works for a large company and is just a small cog on a very big wheel.
The world just keeps spinning regardless of our life. As I see others close to me opening new chapters I become aware of the chapters in my life. It's important to keep in mind that the chapters in our own book of life are not yet written. We aren't predestined to be happy or sad. We are all given the opportunity with pen in hand to design and write our own book. Others may impact the narrative of our book but never give up your pen to someone else.
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7 comments:
Excellent advice!!
Oh retiring...I am ready right now. :o) My hubs who is 54 says he will probably work until he dies. I hope he feels differently in 10 years or so. Thanks Ron for being here and posting such encouraging thoughts all of the time.
What a nice post! Thanks for the reminder that this is MY journey, and no one else's.
That is wonderful that you enjoy your job. We all do carve out our own path in life. Thanks for the inspiration to keep in mind that our life is our own. Take care.
Mom and dad- i wish that you lived in detroit. I really need to talk.
Anonymous,
If you need to talk e-mail me, my e-mail is on the page I will send you my phone number. We can talk on phone.
Nice, Ron. I think that there comes a time when each of us is ready for another chapter. I had thought that I would work until I was in my 70's. Ha--not even close! I am glad to have turned the page. Each in his own time.
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