Now that the kid has graduated from high school, what do I do now? My whole focus these past decades has been caring for her.
So now that she’s engaged, that her life is heading in a direction different from mine, it is time to start thinking hard about my next step. Do I want to continue as I am? If not, what do I want to change?
I know I prefer a simpler life, but I also know that I don’t want to take a chance on history repeating itself. Those lean years continue to haunt me. I don’t ever want to experience that again!
It is time to hit the drawing board, to figure out my next big goal in life. Before I do that, however, I want to share something with my haters.
For those who told me that I was lazy, who complained that the only reason I wanted to live on less was to avoid working, you can kiss my lily white ass. I wanted to spend as much time with my daughter as possible but in order to do that I had to stretch my money as far as it could go. It’s kinda hard to spend time with your kids when you’re working your ass off.
I lived on less, worked less, simply so that I could enjoy the fleeting time I had with my daughter, and I don’t care what anyone thinks about that. I also shared my skills to help others make ends meet easier, regardless of their personal reasons.
I have no regrets.
Maybe those folks were jealous of your determination to be with your daughter and scared to try the same thing. I have two wonderful adult children and did what I could to be with them during their growing years. that time passes soooo quickly. I only want to spend time with them. Isn’t that what life is for? To spend time with people you love
Exactly!
It is unbelievable to me that you have haters, Annie! I guess this goes to show what we already know — that hate is an inside job.
Hurt people hurt people, and there doesn’t have to be any kind of logical reason.
I don’t think you can explain yourself to people like that, because the judgment and criticism comes from their own inner darkness.
I know that you will come up with a lively and creative plan for your next chapter, and I look forward to hearing about it.
Your generosity in writing and sharing your decisions and your journey has been helpful to me and to many others. People who criticize you are showing their pain and judgment of themselves — although they are probably unaware of that.
Stay as strong and brave and giving as you are — it is beautiful.
Thank you so much Belinda. Just today I lost my temper on a person who…It doesn’t matter what I do, it will always be wrong. I need to do this, because I’m stupid for doing what I’m currently doing. I should do that, I should live here, on and on and on.
I really needed your comment right now because I’m steaming at certain people who have reappeared in our lives due to Katie’s upcoming wedding and I really needed this encouragement. Thank you.
Promise I’ll share more details later.
I’d say don’t bother give their slander any attention as they clearly lack anything better to do (like actually build themselves up and improve their overall quality of life) if they get hung up on trying to bring you down. If anything celebrate the fact that you have haters for what you have managed to accomplish as it means that you actually did something meaningful with your life.
Leave it to you to tell it like it is! Thank you my friend. Sending hugs!
I agree with all the above comments. You and how you choose to live are beautiful. Thanks for being you. You always give me a boost when I read one of your posts.
Thanks Linda!
You realize that goes both ways, right? If it were not for your lovely comments I’m not sure I would have made it this far. You all keep me going.
When you say the lean years haunt you to some degree, would you be willing to share how so? Reading your work for quite a few years now, I would never know that is how you were feeling. You are always so resourceful and even through the hard times you seem to manage well. I’m sure it comes down to even though you write about your life, one never truly knows the deepest feelings inside. I am sure there were hard times for you, especially a few years back.
You are an inspirational person though and hope you know that and when I think of going through lean times myself these last years, I often think of you, and know that if I have doubts, it can be done. There is always a way. Thanks for that inspiration and motivation to keep going and to strive for better.
Hi Lyn!
While overall the years have been good to me, those two years I spent worrying about how I was going to pay bills while I healed are not something I ever want to experience again. While I’ve not had much extra, I’ve always managed to have enough to pay my bills before they came due, to have enough food to put on the table, and for a few simple extras. While my savings really helped, if it had not been for the kindness and generosity of you and others we would have ended up homeless. I didn’t go into the details here because I didn’t want to worry anyone but money was seriously tight for a while, and I didn’t like it one bit.
While I am so thankful that I survived it is not an experience I would want to go through again. Does that make sense?
Makes absolute sense. I appreciate you sharing, but don’t wish to make you feel uncomfortable doing so. Sometimes some things don’t always need to be shared, and we have to just work through the difficult time at hand and do the best that we can.
Purchasing your books, etc. has been a huge help to me. I need to revisit them again, honestly. It would be a good refresher for me with things being a little tighter these days.
I know you mentioned you may be writing more frugality/simplicity books in the future. I do hope so!