Things to be grateful for

[joesxm3]

I did my weekly account balancing and realized that almost seven years into FIRE, my investment portfolio has crawled back above what it was when I stopped working, even after subtracting expenses and my new Tesla.

On top of that, in April 2020 I was able to rescue my mother from the nursing home just as COVID ripped through her wing and have been able to care for here since then in my home. It has been a lot of work, but being able to spend time with her during her final years has been priceless. If I had not FIREd, this never would have been possible.

I worked hard and saved for many years, but still I have to feel that I had some fortunate turns in my life that made it possible to be successful - not just that I was smart and hard working. Had the ball bounced differently at many points in my life things may have turned out quite differently.

I also have to be grateful to those on this forum that have educated and inspired me over the years. I forget exactly when I started, but it must have been at least 13 years ago and what I learned here was a big help pushing me towards the finish line and giving me the courage to pull the trigger when the time came.

I suppose this came off as a bit sappy, but the mood struck me tonight. You might think "oh he must have had a few adult beverages", but I swear, not a drop

 

[aja8888]

I did my weekly account balancing and realized that almost seven years into FIRE, my investment portfolio has crawled back above what it was when I stopped working, even after subtracting expenses and my new Tesla.

On top of that, in April 2020 I was able to rescue my mother from the nursing home just as COVID ripped through her wing and have been able to care for here since then in my home. It has been a lot of work, but being able to spend time with her during her final years has been priceless. If I had not FIREd, this never would have been possible.

I worked hard and saved for many years, but still I have to feel that I had some fortunate turns in my life that made it possible to be successful - not just that I was smart and hard working. Had the ball bounced differently at many points in my life things may have turned out quite differently.

I also have to be grateful to those on this forum that have educated and inspired me over the years. I forget exactly when I started, but it must have been at least 13 years ago and what I learned here was a big help pushing me towards the finish line and giving me the courage to pull the trigger when the time came.

I suppose this came off as a bit sappy, but the mood struck me tonight. You might think "oh he must have had a few adult beverages", but I swear, not a drop

Nice thoughts Joe!

I'm grateful that I am in great health and turn 80 in a few months. I'm thankful my golf game is still pretty good and that I have no physical handicaps. I still dearly miss my wife who passed away last December, though.

 

[W2R]

I did my weekly account balancing and realized that almost seven years into FIRE, my investment portfolio has crawled back above what it was when I stopped working, even after subtracting expenses and my new Tesla.

On top of that, in April 2020 I was able to rescue my mother from the nursing home just as COVID ripped through her wing and have been able to care for here since then in my home. It has been a lot of work, but being able to spend time with her during her final years has been priceless. If I had not FIREd, this never would have been possible.

I worked hard and saved for many years, but still I have to feel that I had some fortunate turns in my life that made it possible to be successful - not just that I was smart and hard working. Had the ball bounced differently at many points in my life things may have turned out quite differently.

I also have to be grateful to those on this forum that have educated and inspired me over the years. I forget exactly when I started, but it must have been at least 13 years ago and what I learned here was a big help pushing me towards the finish line and giving me the courage to pull the trigger when the time came.

I suppose this came off as a bit sappy, but the mood struck me tonight. You might think "oh he must have had a few adult beverages", but I swear, not a drop

I don't think it was sappy, or that you had been drinking! You are thinking of how great retirement has been for you, what a great topic.

I have had some pretty good luck in recent years, as well. First, I found and then bought my Dream Home and it turned out to be right next door to Frank! That has been so terrific for us. I never would have had the time to find such a great home before retirement.

Like you, I learned about investing from fellow retirees here and on the Bogleheads forum. So, my portfolio has grown quite a bit. I feel like I got the house for free - - I have more to live off of now, than I ever did before buying it.

There are many other wonderful examples I could cite, but these two are enough.

Retirement can be so terrific, and we have both been lucky to have some good fortune in our lives just in time to make retirement even better. Makes me feel pretty grateful that I could retire when I did.

 

[street]

A great thread and it is always good to be thankful for the good fortune we have in life. So many blessing for me to even mention. I also believe we make our good fortune, and it has been brought up many times that luck has played it's part of the things we are thankful for.

I look at luck as a blessing more than just being lucky.

 

[Koolau]

Wow, where to start. What with losing my BFF last week, I guess I would start with still being on the right side of the grass. My health isn't great but I have confidence in my "care team." I have DW and family who "care a little 'bout me" (from "Promised Land" by Chuck Berry.)

Biggest financial benefit I'm grateful for: I have enough.

 

[target2019]

Yes, there is a lot to be thankful for. On this forum I've heard of divergent opinions and strategies. It's a very-engaging platform.

I recall a group of moments in 2005 when I looked at our investment totals in an area chart. It was so far behid what I was hearing on here from others.

Now in 2023 I can remember what it felt like as that area chart developed really deep valleys in 2009 and 2020. They are just small indentations today.

We're down about 10% since my retirement date. But each month I get a notice as each depoist hits the bank, and that feeling is indescribable.

 

[njhowie]

At times, I've bewildered myself simply considering how lucky we are for being alive. If you consider all of the things that had to happen, precisely when they did for you to even be alive at this time, the odds are practically impossible for it to have even happened. The planet has been around for how many billions of years, and here we are today. Maybe 20 years ago, I remember taking DD to the planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in NYC, and there was an exhibit which has stayed in my mind ever since. It was a timeline physically showing the age of the Earth. A rail, maybe 200 feet long spiraled around the room towards the center and had markers indicating different events and periods in history. Modern history, like from 1800 forward was marked at the beginning of the rail, maybe the width of a hair. Then, if you consider, all the mating between your ancestors before getting to you, all the events that had to happen, exactly when they did for you, or your kids to have been created...it is simply mind blowing, and makes me grateful for every day.

 

[Koolau]

At times, I've bewildered myself simply considering how lucky we are for being alive. If you consider all of the things that had to happen, precisely when they did for you to even be alive at this time, the odds are practically impossible for it to have even happened. The planet has been around for how many billions of years, and here we are today. Maybe 20 years ago, I remember taking DD to the planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in NYC, and there was an exhibit which has stayed in my mind ever since. It was a timeline physically showing the age of the Earth. A rail, maybe 200 feet long spiraled around the room towards the center and had markers indicating different events and periods in history. Modern history, like from 1800 forward was marked at the beginning of the rail, maybe the width of a hair. Then, if you consider, all the mating between your ancestors before getting to you, all the events that had to happen, exactly when they did for you, or your kids to have been created...it is simply mind blowing, and makes me grateful for every day.

Yeah, I like the one in the Redwood Forest where they have a chunk of tree trunk with the dates listed on the rings, going back to the birth of Christ and IIRC, maybe Socrates and Plato. In any case, it makes one feel very "finite."

 

[Winemaker]

I am grateful for meeting, marrying and loving my dear wife, for more reasons I can put in words. 40 years married this coming November.

 

[Car-Guy]

It all started where I was born. Plenty of other things to be grateful for, good job, good wife, reasonable health and reasonable smarts to make it all work...

 

[simple girl]

I'm grateful for so many things. We get but one crack at this life. Reflecting on my blessings always brings me even more feelings of gratitude and joy.

Thanks for this thread - love the positivity.

 

[pacergal]

My daily motto: Attitude of Gratitude!

I am so very thankful and feel blessed every day.

Raised in a close knit family, with family reunions every couple years. Siblings, kids, nieces/nephews all live within 30 minutes of each other.
Learned LBYM from my folks, landed on a job with a pension, and have enough for the life I choose.
Raised two wonderful kids, have 3 terrific grandkids.
So far, have my health.

Life is Good!

 

[MarieIG]

Yes, I am grateful for the blessings in my life, which include: good parents, the opportunity to obtain an education, DH, my children, family, friends, my church and the pets who have enriched my life. We have a SFH, heat in the winter and AC in the summer, and can afford to buy good food. We are able to help out with our grandchildren. I have a nice old car and DH has a nice SUV which can fit two car seats and a booster seat in the second row (for three grandchildren). I appreciate the people on this forum who gave helped me with Roth conversions and gave me the confidence to retire. I appreciate my fellow mods on this forum. I appreciate the trees and birds I can see from my front window. I appreciate the local library. I appreciate a nice big 52 oz Bubba mug of coffee in the morning.

I make a habit of appreciation. When I get on my stationary bike, I appreciate it. When I sit on the back patio with the doggo, I appreciate it. When I have a pain-free day, I appreciate it.

I could go on . . .

 

[ls99]

Growing up a scrawny kid, made it to US, seen the world at others' expense, survived to age 75, soon to be 76, have time to meander in my forest, stop and smell the flowers, do as I, when I please and in pretty good health.

 

[Scuba]

Definitely a lot to be great for. As we age, DH and I are most grateful for each other and our health. We’re in a similar situation as the OP - we both retired almost 7 years ago and have been using our portfolio to pay all of our bills including buying and remodeling a new home, and we are still a bit ahead of the game. Gotta love compounding!

 

[mystang52]

+1 to all. I'm a little down, right now, due to a recent small recurrence of my heart issue. I'm technically fully recovered but doctor has me on house arrest, which means zero exercise for at least 2 more weeks. I've done some soul searching and like OP I am grateful for so many things. Just last night I had dinner with 4 friends from my college days- yet another thing to be grateful for.
One topic that came up? How we all love our wives.

 

[Rianne]

Boy! I have so much to be grateful for, I don't know where to begin. Family, freedom, health (questionable but great Docs now that I went to Mayo Clinic), good neighbors, enough saved, sweet dog, wonderful DH for 40 years. What else can I say? So much more but I might bore you.

 

[MarieIG]

Boy! I have so much to be grateful for, I don't know where to begin. Family, freedom, health (questionable but great Docs now that I went to Mayo Clinic), good neighbors, enough saved, sweet dog, wonderful DH for 40 years. What else can I say? So much more but I might bore you.

We are also grateful to the Mayo Clinic.

 

[dmpi]

I'm grateful for somehow finding my DW 35 years ago.

 

[38Chevy454]

Being grateful is good for your health. It keeps you stable and positive about life. Certainly there have been points in my life where I made the good decision that benefited me for the future. Few not so good decisions, but overcame them. So overall grateful for where I am today.

 

[Walt34]

There is so much to be grateful for most of it mentioned by others already. I was just thinking yesterday about two issues, one that to my knowledge I'm the first male on my side of the family to have lived as long as I have, and that's only 73. Hopefully I'll be a leech on my former employer's pension plan for at least another 20 years.

The other is the terrific health insurance I have with my former employer, which unfortunately I'm using a lot. But between Medicare and the health insurance plan I rarely see a medical bill and when I do it's on the order of $10. Prescriptions for me are $5, once in a blue moon $10. Some of those prescription prices w/o insurance are downright scary! Little wonder people go bankrupt with medical bills.

 

[street]

This is my second post for this thread and like I said in my first post, so many things to be grateful for.

Finding my wife of 40 years is right at the top of the most grateful events that has happened in my life. What a blessing for me to have been a couple for all these years.

 

[Koolau]

There is so much to be grateful for most of it mentioned by others already. I was just thinking yesterday about two issues, one that to my knowledge I'm the first male on my side of the family to have lived as long as I have, and that's only 73. Hopefully I'll be a leech on my former employer's pension plan for at least another 20 years.

The other is the terrific health insurance I have with my former employer, which unfortunately I'm using a lot. But between Medicare and the health insurance plan I rarely see a medical bill and when I do it's on the order of $10. Prescriptions for me are $5, once in a blue moon $10. Some of those prescription prices w/o insurance are downright scary! Little wonder people go bankrupt with medical bills.

I've thought about this a lot. Especially from the time I retired until starting MC, DW and I collected a lot more from megacorp in medical insurance than I did in salary back in the day. So grateful for megacorp help in purchasing MC supplement HE - and especially grateful for MC.

 

[Librarian]

DH retired 2021, me last year. (both in May).
We both have excellent pension plans & a small investment portfolio--stocks, bonds, CDs, HYS).
Our pensions more than cover our monthly expenses (debt free)--investments are to cover travel above & beyond what our pension doesn't cover.
Traveled A LOT since retirement (monthly, 1-4 week trips)...will continue to if perhaps about every other month.
Stunned that our portfolio is still in very good shape even with the extreme traveling the last year.
Our theory is travel now while we are both healthy--you never know when the tides can change.

 

[Dash man]

I’m grateful for my wife and family, and for the opportunities God has guided me to. Success takes hard work and recognition of those opportunities we have before us. We have been very Blessed and are trying to give back in ways we can.