A strange thought I had earlier

[phil d]

As you get older you go to more funerals and less weddings and christenings,at least that's how the saying goes. Recently 3 of my friends have passed away, in fact, a friends son, only a couple of years older than me, passed away on Monday.

I was driving past a new housing estate near me today, a young lady in her early 20's was pushing a pram up one of the drives, in the pram was a very young baby, it started to make me think, here's me, I've worked all my life, I'm married, the kids have grown up and have kids of their own, now it's just me and my wife in our little council house waiting for the day we shuffle off this mortal coil.

Life hasn't always been easy, but saying that there are people worse off than me, there are people better off than me, you take the cards life deals you and play them the best way you can.

As I watched that young mother pushing the pram up to the door of her new house, I started to remember when I started off, lost loves, a marriage, a divorce, several house moves, job changes and a couple of breakdowns, and finally in 1999 my second marriage. I couldn't help wondering what life has in store for this young mum and her family, what are her hopes, her dreams ,her fears. my life hasn't always been easy, but, it's been a good one so far, I only hope that her life is as good as mine.

It's funny what you think of at times isn't it, but no matter how we all hope for the best for the younger people today, I think life is harder for them, housing costs are higher, jobs less secure and there's much more peer pressure these days, one thing is for certain, I'm glad I'm not starting out again.

 

[Sharpend]

Life hasn't always been easy, but saying that there are people worse off than me, there are people better off than me, you take the cards life deals you and play them the best way you can.

Interesting turn of phrase there Phil, I agree totally with you on the first sentence,  but you’re suggesting that life makes people rather than people make life? 

Your life is is what you make it, your choices create your life, certainly others can impact upon it but it remains your choice as to how you deal with it. 

My life was for many years full of turmoil and dread, it has taken me many years to realise that it is how I choose to deal with it that makes the difference, now I have peace despite all the people still being in it, a change of perception (mine)  was all that was needed. 

 

[ProDave]

The saddest part of that statement is you are in effect "waiting for God"

I have so many things lined up for retirement to spend my time enjoying myself and doing things, once I finally break free of the shackles of having to work, and (if all the planning comes together) I will be financially better off than all the time I have been working.

My BIL had a bit of a grump last year when he turned 60 and did not want to be that old.  All our parents have now passed away and we are not the "older generation" in the familly.

 

[Tony S]

Occasionally you get the chance to reshuffle the deck, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Once again it’s the luck of the draw.

My wife and I divorced 21 years ago, it wasn’t just amicable, it was technically illegal. Time to reshuffle the deck. Our aim was to look after our son Carl and give him a good start.

It worked. He’s got his own house with no mortgage.

A couple of months back an old friend of Carl’s and I stayed with him for a few days and had a great time. His bloody cooking hasn’t improved!

 

[Evans Electric]

It can just get you down sometimes ,  as Phil says ,  constantly beating a path to the crematorium .   And the smallest things can set you off  , I laid my brother's ashes  in a Welsh churchyard  not too long ago .. it was when I turned round to face the view he should now have  that I broke down   . 

See below . 

 

[binky]

I do feel sorry for yung peple today, house prices are so high, jobs less secure etc etc, but then I left school in a recession, Ihave worked ever since (sometimes in **** jobs just to earn a few quid) . I've been made redundant several times, changed career, met thw ife, had a son (now 21) always been careful with money, not had many foreign holidays and even those have been done on the cheap. We are finally in reach of financial security and possible early retirement / semi-retirement. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but the main thing I've learn't over the years is that to a certain extent, is that you make your own luck! Luck really meaning I've worked hard and put in the hours. I've also learn't that a very healthy dose of scepticism is a very useful life skill  :^O

 

[Evans Electric]

I've also learn't that a very healthy dose of scepticism is a very useful life skill

I'm with you there Binky .