Four-letter words
Those awful, awful four-letter words. Which one is the worst? Well, for us anyway, it’s not the famous F-word. Nor is it the C-word or even the S-word. Right at the top of our four-letter word list is work. Note that this post has absolutely nothing to do with those who are working daily just to make ends meet. I am instead referring to those who have gone far beyond satisfying the basic needs of food, shelter, etc. Tragically, far too many people, having satisfied life’s basic requirements, never see the big picture and thus continue to go through their entire lives focused on nothing but work! Undeniably, being able to enjoy many of life’s pleasures, at least in our modern economy, requires at least some money, and this includes sailing a boat around the world. Which is no doubt why our favorite cruising couple, Seth and Jamie on Slapdash, have decided to take a 6-month break from their circumnavigation, to top-up their cruising kitty.
Yesterday I had a chat about money with one of my very good friends. He is doing extremely well financially but still quoted me some goals that, he feels, when reached, will make him “happy.” When I pointed out the obvious silliness in all that, he of course understood, and intellectually agrees with me. Will he change his day-to-day thinking though? I, for one, hope so.
Rebecca and I have chosen a path which, at least for the next few years, will have very little security, and we’re cool with that. We know it’s not for everyone but I am confident that the money thing will sort itself out. If all else fails, we’ll just follow Jamie and Seth’s lead and find jobs (note that jobs is also a four letter word)!
Hear, hear. Man, do I know where you’re comming from. Friends and family think we’re nut for quitting the standard accepted working world at the age of 55 with a mere $1600 a month pension ( before taxes). We will eat off that and if we have to I’ll send the admiral out to work….just kidding there, though she is 9 years younger than me…We’ll have put the daughter through university, first degree only though then the rest of our lives are ours to do as we please. Our obligations will be to ourselves and no one else. I am drooling , thinking about that day!
Don’t you find it tough swimming upstream from conventional thinking? You are bombarded from all sides; Buy a home, get a new car every five years, work ’til your 65 (at least) then drop dead in a few years.
I have been working full time since I was senteen and I am sooo tired of the grind. I have to enjoy life for the same amount of time as I have been working. I hope.
Really enjoy your entries, but especially this on as it hit a home run in my soul….lol
Allan
Hi Allan. Thanks so much for your post! People seem to be split in their opinion of our plans. Half think we rock and the others think we are crazy. Oh well… we certainly aren’t doing this for anyone’s approval.
No use waiting for anyone to approve. that’s how you lose a dream. I made that mistake. I should have bought the boat the first time I retired, even if I stayed here so as to be within reach should my mother need me. Now I have two houses and a boat to sell before I can buy my boat. I’m not waiting anymore, where ever mother choses to move to, I could take the boat there a lot easier than buying and selling houses!
Selling houses can definitely be a pain. We were very lucky in that ours sold extremely fast. Much faster than we expected! Good luck Helen.