The best year of my life

Probably would be 1978. Introductory level college classes were a breeze, even calculus and physics: went to classes in the morning, did homework and went for runs in the afternoon, and played rec center basketball in the evenings. Met DW and that meant that I had someone to go to classical music concerts with. She also convinced me to join a chorus with her and has supported my musical efforts ever since.
 
It was Oct 1983 to Oct 1984. It was a year that I stayed in the refugee camp in Pulau Galang Indonesia, awaited for re-settlement in US. With a new gain freedom and a bright future ahead of me (although, I did really know what next, but anything is better than staying with VN communist),

I worked as a volunteer for the UNHCR at the camp (mostly errand works). I don't have any money, and only a two set of clothings, but I have my freedom and a worries free life, the kind of life that I cannot explain here.

Looking back it must be the best time of my life.
 
neihn said:
It was Oct 1983 to Oct 1984. It was a year that I stayed in the refugee camp in Pulau Galang Indonesia, awaited for re-settlement in US. With a new gain freedom and a bright future ahead of me (although, I did really know what next, but anything is better than staying with VN communist),

I worked as a volunteer for the UNHCR at the camp (mostly errand works). I don't have any money, and only a two set of clothings, but I have my freedom and a worries free life, the kind of life that I cannot explain here.

Looking back it must be the best time of my life.
Click to expand...

WOW! That beats anything I could say.
 
neihn said:
It was Oct 1983 to Oct 1984. It was a year that I stayed in the refugee camp in Pulau Galang Indonesia, awaited for re-settlement in US. With a new gain freedom and a bright future ahead of me (although, I did really know what next, but anything is better than staying with VN communist),

I worked as a volunteer for the UNHCR at the camp (mostly errand works). I don't have any money, and only a two set of clothings, but I have my freedom and a worries free life, the kind of life that I cannot explain here.

Looking back it must be the best time of my life.
Click to expand...

Respect!!!
 
There are too many moving parts to slap 'best' on any particular year. Working as an expat in Europe in the '90s and jumping off the corporate hamster wheel in 2007 are two positive events in my life story to date.
 
First year of college was great, but if you gave me a time machine to go back... not sure I would. (unless I could go back with the knowledge to buy apple, google, and amazon, alert the govt to avoid 911, avoid about 3 ex boyfriends, not use credit cards, and just wait for 2003 to meet DH again, another good year!)

My "best year so far" might be behind me, but I prefer to imagine my best year overall is still ahead.
 
I’m reminded of a scene from “Groundhog Day”...

“I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. *That* was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get *that* day over, and over, and over...”
 
I was mostly a miserable child. Then I joined the army at 17, which was intense but not a barrel of monkeys. I got out and embraced civilian life, but was haunted a bit by the all too frequent news that a close friend had been killed or maimed. Then I signed on with megacorp; the 60 hour work weeks have been grueling for me, debilitating even.

My best year is yet to come (knock on wood).
 
cooch96 said:
I was mostly a miserable child. Then I joined the army at 17, which was intense but not a barrel of monkeys. I got out and embraced civilian life, but was haunted a bit by the all too frequent news that a close friend had been killed or maimed. Then I signed on with megacorp; the 60 hour work weeks have been grueling for me, debilitating even.

My best year is yet to come (knock on wood).
Click to expand...

I hope it comes soon for you.....
 
College days for sure.

Footloose and fancy free. Doing all kinds of drugs and drinking and screwing and studying and graduating and getting on with the responsible part of my life.

I still go back home to party with those guys regularly. Friends forever - :)
 
My best year was 1976-:the year my wife of 4 years decided to sow some wild oats. I was tired of fighting credit card bills as she was trying to buy her happiness shopping.

Within one year, and married a great guy and that marriage lasted one year.

She married 7 years later, and is still up to her old overspending days. Her used truck salesman husband is stuck with a $700k mortgage and will never retire. Women never change.
 
I think it was 1978. I decided to spend a summer in Maine with a colleague (she was from Maine, while i was from Arkansas).

Loved it so much, I decided to stay a bit longer and met DH (from MA who was spending a summer in ME). There is no such thing as coincidence; I agree with Owen Meany.

and, over the next few decades, DH and I met a lot of sad stuff along with the joyful, but boy, did we have some extra specially good times in 1978-1979.
 
neihn said:
It was Oct 1983 to Oct 1984. It was a year that I stayed in the refugee camp in Pulau Galang Indonesia, awaited for re-settlement in US. With a new gain freedom and a bright future ahead of me (although, I did really know what next, but anything is better than staying with VN communist),

I worked as a volunteer for the UNHCR at the camp (mostly errand works). I don't have any money, and only a two set of clothings, but I have my freedom and a worries free life, the kind of life that I cannot explain here.

Looking back it must be the best time of my life.
Click to expand...

Amazing.

I've known a few people who came to the U.S. with nothing and life turned out pretty good for them. It's always amazed me how they could do it. I imagine being dropped in a foreign country, no money to speak of and not able to speak the language. Could I have made it ? ? ? I wonder.

Congratulations on making it out and thank you for sharing that perspective.
 
HFWR said:
I’m reminded of a scene from “Groundhog Day”...

“I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. *That* was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get *that* day over, and over, and over...”
Click to expand...

And now I will have to google "sea otters" and see what that's all about. "Hey honey, can we try ....."
 
The day I left the service, on June 21st of 1982 (the longest day of the year), I went on a 10 week road trip on my way back to MN. Sleeping in tents, my truck, once a on picnic table, sometimes with friends I knew or met along the way. If I knew people I stayed for several days.

It was the great beach tour of 1982. I went from Shreveport, LA to St Paul, MN by way of Panama City Beach, Key West, Daytona Beach, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Silver beach, MA, Niagara Falls, and home. On a $50 a month budget.

I met a woman with a 5-year old pet chimpanzee in Panama City FL. That chimp was real cool. Spearfished in the gulf, I stayed stayed in the sun if it was out. Hawaiian Tropic, SPF 0. Swam or ran most days quite a bit, and was in great shape.

Those were the days...
 
In my youth my family struggled with too little money, my dads departure, my mothers subsequent heart attack, and a some other stuff that was all too unpleasant and too graphic to write about. As a result my siblings and I stress meter was off the charts. At the time I probably couldn’t articulate exactly what was wrong because disaster becomes the norm.

Luckily I heard a guidance counselor give a talk about what was essentially “going to college with no money”. I learned about loans and something called BEOG (Basic Education Opportunity Grant - If my memory serves me correctly). Well the rest is history...

What I’ve learned is that any day with a full belly, a warm place to sit and read, and without stress is really a great day. Oh there was those memorable days like my marriage, my son and daughters birth and I’m greatfull for them all.

Maybe it is silly but I live in the here and now and feel its kind of a sin to think “my best day was on” there were so many .... it is pretty simple Full belly? warm? pooch to take a walk with? Can’t remember when my once arthritic knees last ached? Stress non existent?

Hey I guess todays looking pretty good...

Hope you all enjoy the a good super bowl
RayinPenn
 
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rayinpenn said:
In my youth my family struggled with too little money, my dads departure, my subsequent mothers heart attack, and a some other stuff that was all too unpleasant and too graphic to write about. As a result my siblings and I stress meter was off the charts. At the time I probably couldn’t articulate exactly what was wrong because disaster becomes the norm.

Luckily I heard a guidance counselor give a talk about what was essentially “going to college with no money”. I learned about loans and something called BEOG (Basic Education Opportunity Grant - If my memory serves me correctly). Well the rest is history...

What I’ve learned is that any day with a full belly, a warm place to sit and read, and without stress is really a great day. Oh there was those memorable days like my marriage, my son and daughters birth and I’m greatfull for them all.

Maybe it is silly but I live in the here and now and feel its kind of a sin to think “my best day was on” there were so many .... it is pretty simple Full belly? warm? pooch to take a walk with? Can’t remember when my once arthritic knees last ached? Stress non existent?

Hey I guess todays looking pretty good...

Hope you all enjoy the a good super bowl
RayinPenn
Click to expand...

Awesome.
 
It would be easy to say 2007......the year I retired. It felt like getting out of school and going on Summer vacation. But like others, the college years were fun. Hard to put a finger on the one best year.
 
The years since I have retired have been some of the best in my life, besides the year I got married and the year my son was born. Those two days are still the happiest in my whole life, easily.
 
I still fondly remember the years working for a kayak company during high school. Made great $$ for that age, and the boss empowered me to take on pretty big responsibilities making boats. I felt on top of the world. Dreams of owning a boat company some day loomed big in the brain (I loved boats).

Had a great time at college, and thought an engineering degree would enable the work euphoria to continue. Found an engineering job at a megacorp, which was lack lusterly satisfying, but paid well. I continued in engineering field for 30 years, working with some truly smart people which I felt privileged to be around. ER'd at 51 with a sizable amount (to me) nest egg.

So, in summary, the high school years making boats was the best work memory, but after working 30 years in engineering, I realize making boats would not have been a good memory had I stayed!

Life has been good so far!
 
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My best years have been since I have retired. We have enough money, our health is good, we get to see our children and grandchildren often and they've all turned out well. My husband and I get along very well and like to do many things together. It's so nice to be at this stage and just enjoy things.
 
neihn said:
It was Oct 1983 to Oct 1984. It was a year that I stayed in the refugee camp in Pulau Galang Indonesia, awaited for re-settlement in US. With a new gain freedom and a bright future ahead of me (although, I did really know what next, but anything is better than staying with VN communist),

I worked as a volunteer for the UNHCR at the camp (mostly errand works). I don't have any money, and only a two set of clothings, but I have my freedom and a worries free life, the kind of life that I cannot explain here.

Looking back it must be the best time of my life.
Click to expand...

Lots of good posts here, but my vote for best goes to neihn. Just...wow!

FWIW, I'm in the "keeps getting better every year" camp.
 
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