Feeling guilty

[Sweetlip]

Hi folks; greetings from sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia.


I exercised a lifelong plan and took a year's leave from work at age 55, always intending to return to work after that to finally finish at age 65.

After being off work for that length of time and having good financials because I have always applied the themes written about in books like "The Millionaire Next Door", "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", "Your Money or Your Life" and the like plus having always listened to the wisdom of my dear old Mum who died at age 92 in 1999 but who had always instilled in me her lessons from the Great Depression, I decided to not return to work. I just had too good a time when I was away from the pressures of corporate life ...

Now at age 57, whilst I do not miss the routine and pressure of corporate life, I do miss the community and busy-ness a bit but I also have a sense of guilt though because I am still fit and healthy and alert and my "protestant work ethic' keeps telling me that I should be still working.

This is not strong enough a feeling yet, though, to actually make me want to do something about it.

 

[Khan]

Now at age 57, whilst I do not miss the routine and pressure of corporate life, I do miss the community and busy-ness a bit but I also have a sense of guilt though because I am still fit and healthy and alert and my "protestant work ethic' keeps telling me that I should be still working.

That too shall pass.

 

[dex]

Welcome - Brisbane is a nice city - I've been there a couple of times.
What is the final assement of the Goodwill Games when it was there - Did the people think it was worth it?

Also - I would like to rent an apartment in Sydney and Cains for about 1 month to 6 weeks each - not high end prices. Do you know of any places that might be able to help me?

 

[Dawg52]

Don't feel guilty, just be happy! You can always do some volunteer work if the guilt remains. BTW, nice fish.

 

[Moemg]

I do miss the community and busy-ness a bit but I also have a sense of guilt though because I am still fit and healthy and alert and my "protestant work ethic' keeps telling me that I should be still working.

This is not strong enough a feeling yet, though, to actually make me want to do something about it.

Wecome and give up the guilt life is to be enjoyed !

 

[Sweetlip]

Welcome - Brisbane is a nice city - I've been there a couple of times.
What is the final assement of the Goodwill Games when it was there - Did the people think it was worth it?

Thanks for your welcome.

The Goodwill Games were really a bit of a non-event. They do not remain top-of-mind in the minds of Brisbanites compared with other things like the Expo 88 and the Commonwealth Games held in 1982. To be honest, I don't even remember when the Goodwill Games were held here - and it was not that long ago.

Of course, everything pales into insignificance when compared with the Sydney Olympics which were stupendously successful. Some olympics' events were held in Brisbane, (which is 450 miles from Sydney) such as a great night game of soccer that I went to see with my wife. Aussies love supporting underdogs and in that fixture, the audience gave heaps of support to the underdogs who were Camaroon and who went on to win the Gold medal.

Also - I would like to rent an apartment in Sydney and Cairns for about 1 month to 6 weeks each - not high end prices. Do you know of any places that might be able to help me?

I would be of no help at all on this, I am sorry to say. Probably best to Google real estate firms in both of those cities and enquire of them.

 

[Helen]

Hi Sweetlip,
Congratulations! It sounds like you are doing the right thing. Don't feel guilty, you worked hard and saved.

So what kind of a fish is that? It almost looks like a huge trout.

 

[Sweetlip]

So what kind of a fish is that? It almost looks like a huge trout.

Thanks, Helen.

That is Mulloway, commonly called a jewfish - jew being short for jewel and which relates to a shiny bit of bone inside their head.

They are a saltwater fish and very tasty. That one weighed 33 lbs. I caught it one winter's night in August last year when I was out in my local Moreton Bay fishing for snapper. I was fishing alone so by the time that I had fought him and got him into the boat I was exhausted ..... but very happy!

 

[Dog]

Hi Sweetlip, Don't feel guilty - enjoy your retirement...you earned it. My father was able to retire early and really enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and time with his family. We lost him this spring and although I miss him more than I can say, I am SO happy he was able to so thoroughly enjoy his retirement. ENJOY !!!

 

[TickTock]

Now at age 57, whilst I do not miss the routine and pressure of corporate life, I do miss the community and busy-ness a bit but I also have a sense of guilt though because I am still fit and healthy and alert and my "protestant work ethic' keeps telling me that I should be still working.

Sweetlip,

Working at a corporate job is not the only way to contribute. DW and I are just back from visiting family for Christmas, and I had not realized how much my father and mother (retired ~3 years now) do for their community. There are repairs to subdivision community property, meetings, cutting the neighbor's yard when the husband came down with cancer, et multiple cetera! Yet, they contribute these things at a reasonable pace and are much happier now... when you have time to do things at a reasonable pace, the tension that builds up until you're likely to explode at the first mistake made by someone else tends to dissipate... living 'happy' uplifts the lives of those around you, in my experience.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide!

 

[pentang.fog]

Hey, if you got the financials and stay active in yer own way, that's nothin to feel guilty ago. Congrats on your decision, it takes a lot to pull yourself away from the day-to-day grind (I'm feeling a bit of that worry myself).

 

[Sweetlip]

Thanks for all of your supportive replies everyone.

One of the things that I miss on this site is a "Thanks" button as I use on another similar format site. That would enable everyone to be thanked without needing to write text and fill up the website with one liners thanks or worst still, to not express gratitude at all.

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