No simple life

I wonder who came up with the idea that working people or professionals should retire early at 55 or at 65?

The tragedy is that generations of productive and intelligent people actually went along with the idea. To make matters worse, we now have people taking it to the edge by making it their goal to retire at an even younger age.

I actually went through the process, believing that I should start planning for a sustainable lifestyle by setting up cash flow positive investments and establishing a lifestyle based on simple living.

Nothing big or fancy, just enough to meet expected expenses while living in the “farm” growing our own crops, raising live stock, and being stress free. To be honest we actually set out on the project of a lifetime. We were so serious that I even offered to buy my daughter a “native” horse if she would transfer to a private school near the farm.

All went well and even at this point the “living in the farm” idea has continued to progress. We are even excited with the prospects of shorter trips because of better roads and interconnections. Even by divine standards, my wife and I felt that the plan had the heavenly seal.

Apparently, GOD was simply being the loving parent who allows children to “play” for as long as it was safe, ok or harmless. But sooner or later, the parent steps in and tells us play time is over, stop the rough stuff or time to go back and do the real stuff: homework.

As all parents do; the heavenly memos asked: “is this all you were meant to achieve; retire?” “Where exactly in the Bible did I say that you were suppose to retire at 55 or 65?” “Don’t you know that when I say retire it’s either to sleep for a short while or to sleep for eternity”.

The fact of the matter is that many elderly people end up becoming a “factory recall” or go to heaven because of inactivity or loss of significance.

Unfortunately, we treat heavenly memos the same way we read food choices on a menu. If we don’t like it, we simply look for something more palatable or agreeable. Fortunately for those who keep their options open, GOD sends us “waiters” with recommendations.

One fine Tuesday morning I went to the farm with a fellow car enthusiast John Jimenez. It was during the long drive that we talked about my plans and some apprehensions about the economy and how sustainable simple living can be?

John’s quote for the day was “ in truth, a simple life cannot sustain simple living”

It was like someone lifted the veil and interrupted the dream. I was now faced by the cold reality of economics, inflation, under employment and the challenge of “sustainability”.

People can do their best to live as simply as possible but even that requires money, productivity and funding. You can choose to live simply but you cannot simply live. You need to produce, to be profitable, to be fruitful relative to your unpredictable future.

Many retirees are now living longer and beyond the sustaining capacity of their retirement funds. Many of the social services once given free are being cut back or passed on to the private sector or being paid for by private citizens.

Toll ways, ambulance service, airport terminals and even neighborhood security patrols have started to become the responsibility of homeowners instead of local governments. Even corporate Sur-charges, taxes or development costs are being passed on to consumers.

To top it all, economic and social models designed to sustain the concept of “retirement” and pre-needs have all come under question and have become just as worrisome if not dubious.

So here we are, “Retirement” has become a non-applicable term. We are still pursuing the project of a lifetime: building up a farm, Living simply but no longer simple. Rather than cutting costs and expenses we choose instead to pursue significance with profit not just significant profit.

Sometimes, when GOD wakes you up from your dream or calls you out of the playground it is not to punish you but simply to get us to do the homework. We all hate homework’s, we all hate quizzes and I especially dislike being called home from the playground, but it’s the homework that prepares us for real life and real fun.

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While traveling in the Visayas this weekend, I was constantly asked about my assessment of the “P-Noy administration”. There is actually a growing interest that will surely build up when the administration finally marks its first 100 days.

The iron in it all, is that the mass focus or obsession with how P-Noy and his team rates is nothing less than the perfect example of our bad habit of judging others instead of concentrating on our work, our problems or our needs.

Business and academic leaders will almost surely host forums as they already have started, just for the sake of knowing how “experts” will evaluate, opine, or judge the new government. But like I said before lets all try to do our best NOT to judge a life we have not lived!

In this case, we will all certainly judge P-Noy based on personal or professional expectations and presumptions, all of which has little relevance or contribution to the over-all performance of P-Noy’s team.

What we should be asking ourselves is this: what have I done, contributed or changed in the first 100 days? When President Noy chose to do without the wang-wang what did I do as my own act of sacrifice or support.

That is what all of us should be asking.

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