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Episode
179 – What now?
I
knew a guy in
Another
guy I know took off on a similar trip only to capsize in the South
Pacific. I
mean upside down; locked in the cabin with his daughter and her
fiancée. Just
imagine that moment: You’re battling a storm at night; flip
upside-down, inside
a boat, in the middle of the ocean. The boat righted itself. He sailed
into the
closest port; sold the boat. They all got tattooed with a special
design that
indicated a close call with death – a sort of circle around the
wrist. They
flew home. He eventually bought another boat. Still sails. Not aiming
to go
around the world. But still enjoys the salt air. I don’t want to
mock the idea
of sailing around the world. I’m sure some people do it
successfully. I just
don’t know any.
This
is Del Lowery with Retirement Talk. The question we want to consider in
this
program is, “Once retired, what then?”
The
world is big; the choices are endless. How can you choose the path that
will
bring you the greatest satisfaction or happiness?
Years
ago I came across some happiness advice that has never failed me. I
liked it
because it worked for me and I loved the name of the originator, Baruch
de
Espinosa: or, Spinoza. “Spinoza knowza”, I used to tell my
students.
Spinoza
lived in
He
was a brilliant guy, too brilliant for some. He eventually got
excommunicated
from the Jewish religion and died at a very early age – 43. Once,
on a trip to
Europe, I searched the synagogue from which he supposedly got
excommunicated in
Spinoza
claimed that every time we pursue something and think it will bring us
happiness we are disappointed once we “capture the
flag”, so to speak.
Once we get to our goal and receive the applause, or the money, or the
big
house, or the large screen HDTV, we find ourselves disappointed, and
many times
crushed the following day. The happiness we thought would be ours is
not there;
and when it isn’t there, we feel let down, disappointed: and soon
ask ourselves
the same question; “Now what”?
Our
problem lies in defining, or thinking of happiness, as a solid state;
or as a
position or place. It isn’t.
He
claimed that happiness is a transitory state. It is found in the
movement
towards something: movement towards a greater state of perfection than
that
which we now have. It isn’t in having a better garden than we now
have, but it
is in the act of creating, or moving towards having the better garden.
Happiness lies in making the transition; moving to a greater state of
perfection.
Of
course the opposite is also true. Unhappiness is going the other
direction.
Having our dreams dashed or moving away from a state of greater
perfection to
yet that of a lesser one. Sort of like trying to sail around the world
and end
up with a gun at your head or tipped upside down in the Pacific.
This
is Retirement Talk
A resource from a listener: Best Free Online Degrees for Seniors guide is designed to assist seniors who aspire to enhance their intellect or consider starting a new career path. It features an overview of the top online degrees for seniors, emphasizing their numerous advantages, and a broad range of subjects to choose from. A friend's website: Terra Firma Designs: Fine Furniture, Stained Glass and woodworking workshops. Copyright 2010 RetirementTalk.org |
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