My father died when he was 57. My mother wasn’t much older when she was killed.
My nephew was just 35 when he died a couple of weeks ago, but my uncle was 88 when he passed away right after Christmas.
At my current age of 51, that gives me a wide range of odds, especially since I’ve relatives who lived to be over 100.
But with COVID on the rise, I may not make it to tomorrow.
So what do I do with my now?
As news has trickled through friends and family that I’ve actively began to immerse myself into computers again the reactions have been mixed.
“Why are you doing that? I thought you liked your job.”
“You know you’re too old to go back into computers. You’re the wrong gender, besides! All they hire are young guys. You know that!”
“I’m surprised you waited so long. You’ve always had a gift when it comes to computers. Way to go!”
“At least you won’t be binge watching movies any longer. That was so unlike you.”
“It’s good that you’re still learning. Shame that you’re on the verge of retirement, though–you won’t get to use the knowledge at a job.”
“Only you!” (spoken with a good-natured shake of the head)
Lessons Learned
One thing I have learned over the years is to disregard any negativity I receive. In fact, my greatest successes have been when the responses I received were overwhelming negative.
Even so, my critics have a point. I am older. In just ten short years, I’ll be eligible for early retirement. In 13 years, I’ll be eligible for normal retirement.
But if I wait until I’m 70, I’ve got 18 whole years to enjoy myself.
With modern medical science, I believe that it is safe to say that, barring COVID or accidents, I can live until my 80s. That’s almost three decades of life I have left.
So how do I spend that time? Do I spend it living, or do I spend it dying?
We all die
That’s a fact. None of us can escape it, so we need to accept it.
We don’t have to sit around and wait for it, however.
Whatever your age, you don’t have to just give up and wait for death to take you. Whatever your age, it makes no sense to continue living if you’re just waiting to die.
If we’re going to be here anyway, why not have fun while it lasts? After all, none of us really knows what the next adventure will bring.
So look around. Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Do you want to take a trip, learn something new, change careers, or explore a path you’ve not dared to take?
Why not do it now?
You don’t have to take major steps. If you have always wanted to travel, you can research places and pick one to visit. Save up money, or maybe think of ways to go on your current budget.
If you’re interested in learning something new, you can take a class online. The prices are amazingly reasonable, and you may catch it on sale. I had a look around Udemy this weekend and I was amazed at how far online learning has came. You can take a class for almost anything these days!
I don’t care what society says, and I certainly don’t care about the opinions of those around me, and you shouldn’t either.
You may be old, but you’re not dead yet.
So stop acting like it!
Take the trip. Have the adventure. Join the class.
But don’t stop there. Make sure to tell others that you’re not done living yet. Share stories about your dreams and adventures. You can start by sharing them in the comment section below.
Do the Thing
Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your dreams.
I come from the Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. I’m the daughter of an ex-con and a dancer. My formal education was a joke, yet despite everything I managed to achieve everything I really set my mind to.
- I opened a computer repair service in my thirties.
- I pivoted to writing by my forties.
- I became a stay-at-home single mother by teaching myself how to write online.
And now I’ve given myself permission to dive deep into the world of computers in a way I’ve never given myself permission before.
If I can do all of that with barely a high-school education and all of the odds stacked against me, there is no limit to what you can do with the advantages you have today.
This is your chance. Don’t waste it.
~#~
If you happen to find this post helpful, would you consider sharing it with a friend or on social media? Thanks!
I’ve written a lot of books sharing my odd view of life in hopes of helping others. My most notorious book is titled The Shoestring Girl: How I Live on Practically Nothing and You Can Too, but The Minimalist Cleaning Method is pretty popular as well. You can find them at the following places:
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Smashwords (non-DRM)
