As the year draws to a close I tend to become reflective and to check I am really doing what I want to do with my life. This year I am more reflective than normal, a couple of weeks ago a friend of mine died after a short illness. Paul was a lovely, lovely man, he was one of those folk that was always doing things for other people, always sharing, smiling and giving. I don’t know but I suspect had he known how sadly short his life was going to be he maybe would not have changed much.
It is easy to spend out lives living in the future, thinking “just another 2, 3, 5, ? years working hard for money and I’ll be able to……………….” or “when the kids are a bit older I’ll be able to…………” or “when I retire I’ll be able to……….”
I guess the message of Paul’s death to me is that those things may never come. Life is actually quite short, too short to spend doing stuff I don’t enjoy. Too short to be doing stuff in the hope of actually getting to live life down the line. Too short to put off doing those things where I feel passionately “somebody should do something about that”.
I have always tried to live in the moment and do what I really want to do though it is easy to get diverted. So what I really most enjoy doing at the moment is spending time in my workshop making things. I’ll be doing more of that in 2016, oh and dancing with friends, and spending time in nature, and whenever I am having fun I’ll be thankful and think of Paul.
Robin So true, two years ago I was allowed to leave work and whilst an income is helpful I have not looked back. Now doing so many things that I enjoy and learning new skills all the time from people like you. So blessed that things happened as they did as if not I am sure I would not be here now.
Working outdoors with National Trust has meant that I have some muscles, but more importantly have lost 5 stone in weight.
Hope to see you sometime in 2016.
Kind regards
Nick
So, where’s the picture of you in a row boat, with a bottle of tequila and a drinking bird, on Lake Superior? Because that had to have been doing what you loved!
YUP!
Love Love Love
It’s All You Really Need…
Hi Robin, All my life I have never made money my goal. I have tried to teach my children that in this life, we need to do the things that bring contentment, what ever kind of work we choose, we need to get job satisfaction. I went to Art college, But although I enjoy Art, drawing and painting. I never went down that road. I have spent my time in woods and workshops. In my younger days, felling timber, right through the sixties and into early eighties I worked felling and milling timber. Turning was something I done in wet weather to subsidise my income, Selling the things I turned at craft fairs and to gift shops. But I got more and more involved with my woodturning. That’s where I`ve been ever since 1980. I have enjoyed every day, and now I see every day has a bonus. Never made much money, Just enough to pay my way, and keep the wolf from the door, but then there`s no pockets in a shroud. Even the rich can`t do much with there money once they are gone. Live life to the full, Have some laughter, be kind to others, be happy, Its going by far to quick, it now is the time to get fulfilment , be content and enjoy the moment. You take care, My best wishes to you and all for the coming New year, and hopefully a good many more to come.
Robin,
I agree with you whole heartedly. I will soon be 72 and about 30 years ago I quit a good job that kept in in an office, It took me a year and a half to spend the retirement that I had accrued. I then spent the next few years finding out what I wanted to do. I now do the things that matter to me and make things that fulfill my soul. To me doing what you love is the only way to go.
Happy New Year Robin. Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I changed my life completely two and a half years ago. Left a well paid job to do something I longed for. I now work as a coppice worker, pole lathe turner, gardener (sometimes). Never regretted it for a second. I spend
time with my family and friends a luxury I missed, I live a simple life now, I want for nothing, I grow as much food as I can, I love my life. Money will not bring anyone long term happines.
I second what you’ve written, Robin.
Just this last summer I lost my brother-in-law to frontotemporal degeneration. He was just 63. He was losing ground for 5 years. He left two daughters 29 and 26.
Don’t wait to do what you want, the scythe-guy maybe closer than you think.
It’s time for me to learn about bowl carving and take a class at North House Folk School.