My dad often tells a story from his time as a stockbroker, when we first moved to California. He was working with a particular older couple who were putting away money to save for their retirement. They had grand, grand ambitions. They were going to sell their possessions and spend their retirement traveling the world, seeing the sights, experiencing the food and culture, and living in the amazement. Someday.
Several opportunities came around for the husband to retire. They had amassed a lot of money and while he was healthy enough to work, he certainly didn’t need to. His response to my father, when he suggested retirement, was, “Next year. I have things I need to finish.” The year went on, and at the end of the following year, when my father again suggested retirement, the man’s response was the same. “Next year.”
This went on for another eight years, and finally, abruptly, the man came into my father’s office, announcing his decision to retire. He definitely didn’t look happy about it. My father helped him to set up a payment schedule for his investments, and asked if they were still looking to start traveling the world.
The man said, “No. My wife just started her dialysis.”
That story lurks in the back of my mind like a childhood nightmare, scarier than any boogeyman hiding under the bed. That’s my biggest fear, the fear that drives me – dying without having truly experienced the world.
“Someday” is an easy trap to fall into. Anything can happen to us in this world, anything at all. Our days are not guaranteed, and someday may come in a very different form than the day we envision, or may not come at all. We owe it to ourselves not to squander our days, our health, and our dreams with the assumption that we will always have more time.
So you know all those things you talk about doing someday? You should go do them.
KCS
