I’m 73 and will be 74 in December.
What this means to me: I had an astrologer do my horoscope about 25 years ago. It said that my later years in life would be even more productive and meaningful. The obvious reason for not retiring is lose of income.
But there is also a curiosity about what that horoscope meant, what more could manifest from this point on in life. My mother had referred to this time period as, “the Golden Years” when there is more enjoyment and less effort. Totally understand, but still, what is in store if I continue to make an effort to contribute?
My wife and I have 3 great kids who wonder and worry about who will take care of us. There are many choices and descriptions out there, such as, “assisted living,” “independent living,” and “at-home nursing care.” What we see for ourselves is “aging-in-place” with our oldest daughter providing assistance by moving into the ADU unit connected to our home that is currently being rented. It has two bedrooms which she could share with one of her daughters and both of them can be at my beck and call – perfect!
Seriously though, this sounds like, “riding off into the sunset” talk but it really isn’t. Shortly after my wife and I got married, I noticed that she loved to read. Fiction, non-fiction, and how to make a smarter and healthier kid, which led to her practicing various ideas and methods on the kids and myself. We were her guinea pigs learning to make life better.
As you know, there is no magic bullet, only a progression through life that either gets better, worse, or is at a standstill. For us, it gets better. There have been lows, but rising from them results in a sweetness, which, at this point, occurs on a daily basis, and yes, Thank God for that.
I continue to do hand designing and drafting of house plans and details, permit processing to obtain Building Department approval to issue building permits, ESCP coordination, site visits, and inspections. I think that my designing and drafting skills continue to improve. I look forward to dialoguing with homeowners to determine whether or not I can contribute to their projects.
Back to the drawing board,
Mike Lau
Photo by Geraint Rowland on flickr
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