Is Life Short ?

I know not a Gardening question and rather odd ( delete if inappropriate ) but its one of the questions gnawing away in the back of my mind for to long .

Most of the members here are only a couple of years older than me and I am intrigued and your perspective of whether life is short / long or merely a feeling . I hear it a lot mostly parents about where the time has gone from raising a baby to all of a sudden they left the nest to go university etc. I suppose the relative of time is different for everyone for a lot of people 2020 may feel like the longest year ever, to me its hasn't seemed much different yet New years day 2020 seemed quite a while back.

 

How can you say?
What do we compare it with?

 

Some years ago - I was career orientated - nothing else mattered more than doing well in work - making cash and buying things - time flew past when I was working. Thinking back, it was drilled into me as a kid - you must get a well paid job to demonstrate to everyone else that you are a success in life. I was on course for a large pension when I retired at 67.

My Uncle did just that. He worked all his life and was sitting on a nice wedge. He still saved money - even when retired - he was brought up in a poor (money) family - so this is understandable. He said to me once "typical isn't it - I've got all this money but I'm not healthy enough to enjoy it." This got me thinking - then I saw an article in a newspaper that had been left in the works tea room - by a pallaitive care nurse - Bronnie Ware. It was called 'the top 5 regrets on the dying" - one the regrets people had was spending too much time working. Sod this, I thought, I'm off. I retired at 52 not 67. Scrungee beat me and packed it in at 50 - so I'm not alone in doing this. I draw out half of the pension I would have otherwise received and have never been happier. As the saying goes - there are plenty of wealthy men in graveyards.

I don't wear a watch anymore - I don't really care what the time is - I do things when I want to do them. I eat when I'm hungry and I sleep when I'm tired.

You never know when you will be called to Heaven - so make the most of the time you do have.

 

On a good day far too short.
On a bad day far too long.

 

Is it a private pension you can withdraw or state pension at 52 ? A friend mentioned something similar to me a couple of weeks ago, more a less saying I could earn a lot more but I'd rather go home early / do less days so I can do things I want to do.

 

I think life is long when you look forward, but short when you look back.

 

Way too short..one moment we were dating, then planning our wedding, years of house renovating and producing our brood. Years of back and forth to 5 Universities ,then ..phew....seeing them settle into becoming independent adults now with their own homes.

Now all I get is hubs instructing on all things financial....so that I know where everything is ......for when 'the time comes'

And now being of the age of personally addressed funeral plan junk mail.....oh where ,oh where are the days of ,to whom it may concern' or ' to the homeowner'...nope...my name is now on the list!!!

But do I regret anything....no, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat......but maybe ssssstttttttrrrrreeeettttttccccchhhhh the years out a tad more.

 

Private...definitely not state.

 

I am happy you've enjoyed your life Upsy and sounds like you'd do it all again but the second to last paragraph kind of makes me a bit sad.

 

that made me smile and feel how right you are...I am mostly a very happy person and see life as thrilling, when I lose my rag, short and over with, I just get it off my chest and Mr.W is there..says little..wiseman live to tell the tale....

 

Which ?? The junk mail bit?
That's life .... I had to giggle ......on my 60 th birthday in amongst the cards in the post I had not only received my first personally addressed funeral plan junk mail but also.....wait for it @Perki ....(you have all these pleasures to look forward to..).. an extra surprise gift of.. my first ever bowel screening kit. You have to laugh..obviously the fun starts at 60th!!!

 

Mr.W took early retirement in 1998 aged 53 but still done agency work for a few days each week to supplement his private pension. We moved to Bexhill on Sea in 2000 and he did not work until 2002 when he signed up to an agency but then a company wanted him to work for them 1/2 days a week...it worked for some time until he met up with the Mantel Farm owner... just to buy some Bantam Chickens and then 4 Ducklings and a new friendship was formed that gave Mr.W and me actually a new hobby for me and an income for him...making pens and anything related with chickens...retirement to us is having plenty to do that you enjoy...do it early if you can....