txtig
Full time employment: Posting here.
I recently received an email from an old classmate from my high school class of 1971. This guy keeps up with as many of our classmates as he can, and regularly sends out reunion info, etc. He also keeps up with the deaths of family members of classmates and the deaths of classmates. This recent email had a listing of all of our classmates that had passed so far. Fifty-five of our graduating class of approximately 500 have died to date. About 11% of us.
I thought this was a high number, but then consulted a Social Security actuarial table which showed that an average of 20% of men and 12% of women pass by age 65. So, I guess we are doing ok as a group as compared to the national average. It’s not quite an apples to apples comparison because the SS numbers are based on the rate of deaths since birth, and my numbers are based on deaths of a group since age 18. But, I doubt that difference would alter the percentages very much.
It still was a sobering moment to read that list and see how many of my classmates were no longer with us, including many that I was once close with, and some that I had known since grade school. It reminds one that our time here is limited and made me think about how I need to make the most of the finite time I have remaining. It also made me thankful that I was already FIRE’d and that I have the ability to maximize the things in my life that are meaningful and that bring me happiness.
I thought this was a high number, but then consulted a Social Security actuarial table which showed that an average of 20% of men and 12% of women pass by age 65. So, I guess we are doing ok as a group as compared to the national average. It’s not quite an apples to apples comparison because the SS numbers are based on the rate of deaths since birth, and my numbers are based on deaths of a group since age 18. But, I doubt that difference would alter the percentages very much.
It still was a sobering moment to read that list and see how many of my classmates were no longer with us, including many that I was once close with, and some that I had known since grade school. It reminds one that our time here is limited and made me think about how I need to make the most of the finite time I have remaining. It also made me thankful that I was already FIRE’d and that I have the ability to maximize the things in my life that are meaningful and that bring me happiness.