The Solid Earth Beneath My Feet

Ten years flashed before my eyes after I retired on November 6th, 2013. Each morning after I wake up, I swing my legs out of bed and gently put my feet on the floor. As I slowly stand up, I concentrate on the feeling and pressure on the bottom of my feet from the earth beneath. Then I thank God for giving me another day on our beautiful planet.

Gingerly I walk out of the bedroom. My stiff ligaments and tendons slowly loosen up. I let the dog out to run in the backyard. The morning starts slowly while I make coffee. I feed the cat and dog. There is no more rushing to get ready to dash off to work. Life has slowed down a lot. Plans are now made in increments of hours instead of minutes.

“Freedom is the real goal. Once you’ve achieved a certain level of financial success, everything becomes about a quest for freedom. Being able to do what you want, when you want, and with whom you want, is what everyone prizes above all else.” – Sahil Bloom

When I retired 10 years ago, I said I was going to drive around America. I did drive around the country. I wanted to revisit places I’ve been before, but be able to stay in places longer than just the two weeks I was able to on the bicycling tours. We spent 730 nights on the road over eight years, driving 50,000 miles, and traveling through 46 states.

We drove out west three times, up to Michigan three times, and north to Maine twice. We even drove through New York City and across the George Washington Bridge. We’ve taken eight multi-month trips each lasting around 100 days. I’ve seen Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks three times, Glacier National Park, and the Grand Canyon. We traveled across the Great Plains through the heartland of America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Northwest. We saw all the five Great Lakes.

While back in my winter home the pace is much more relaxed. Living in the same home since 1980, I tell people I retired to Florida when I was 22 years old. Another 34 years passed before I was able to fully implement the retirement plan.

I usually go to sleep when darkness falls and wake up when dawn lights up the sky outside my bedroom window. The dusk-to-dawn sleeping pattern came from sleeping so many nights in a RV. Going to bed so early means I often wake up in the middle of the night for several hours.

As I lay awake in the first hours of the new day the world is still and quiet. This peaceful time is my favorite part of the day and night. I drift off into a meditative state while the world is asleep.

There is no longer the need to try to fall back asleep so I can go to work in the morning. Eventually, I fall back asleep until dawn and the dog wakes up. Rascal, the RV Whippet Dog usually decides when it’s time for us to get up.

The TV is rarely on, I cut cable years ago. About once a week, I binge-watch something on Netflix or Amazon Prime. I have not watched the news on TV in many years. My favorite comedian, the late Norm McDonald was asked why he wasn’t very political. He replied, “I only have one life.” When he said this, no one knew he was dying.

One of the challenges of retirement is staying connected to people. People you have known for years fade away.

I need to mention my dear friends Erica and Chris. They moved away several years ago. We traveled across America together for three years. The main reason I kept my RV for another few years is so I could drive the motorhome up to their farm and park the coach on their land.

During my first long RV trip, an adventure out west in 2017, traveling all the way to the Grand Canyon, into northern Idaho, and back through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park, Erica texted me each and every day of that trip.

My first long trip out west was scary, a new and wondrous experience. Traveling across the country during springtime was the farthest I can remember getting out of my comfort zone. I made that trip in my first RV, the smaller Class C Winnebago View with just myself, and my cats Robles and Mountain Lioness.

During this trip, I learned how to live in the moment. I had no plan, I only knew I was driving west. I had no idea of what states I would drive through or where I was going. I only knew I was headed to the Grand Canyon and near Phoenix to meet an old friend from 30 years ago.

I remember breaking down emotionally in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. I thought my tears were from being exhausted. Then I realized I was homesick. I decided that evening to begin my return to Florida. Florida was over 4000 miles away. I felt as if I was in a spaceship and needed to return to Earth. Those daily texts from Erica got me through this odyssey. I cannot imagine my life without Erica and Chris being in my life.

I also need to mention my friend Renee. She is the most kind and compassionate soul I have ever known. We have been best friends for 30 years. Even though she too moved away a few years ago, we are in touch often. Renee devoted her life to taking care of her grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, and now her great-grandchildren. She would give you her last nickel and the shirt off her back. She is the most selfless person I have ever known.

I also want to mention my friend Jackie. She is the best listener and wisest person I know. I always listen to her for advice and her thoughts on what is going on around us. I’ve found as you pass through the years of retirement, your circle of friends becomes smaller, but the circle becomes tighter.

Now I don’t know what is next, and I am lost. I feel as if I am preparing for a second retirement, this retirement occurring 10 years after the first one. For now, I am keeping the motorhome, but I am done driving all over the country. I’m using the motorcoach as a summer home to get out the sweltering Florida summers.

I’m a misfit in society, living alone in my tiny crooked home, with my crooked little cat and my crooked little dog, and living in a motorcoach in random places around America. It’s a hell of a thing to get this far in life and have no idea of what you want to do next.

I discovered this phase of life is not all that different than other phases of life. Humans still want the same things. They need to feel like they are making a difference in people’s lives and the world. People need to feel appreciated, needed, valued, and they have a purpose in life. The whole point is this stage of life is not just a decision, but a process you work through.

I’ve made getting in great shape again the highest priority in my life. I’ve always been very active, riding a bike tens of thousands of miles over the last 30 years. After I retired, I got a bit lazy. Going to happy hour several times during the week and bellying up to the bar became very easy to do with no consequences of having to go to work the next day. That habit is a common trap for many retirees. This relaxed lifestyle is fun, but not so good for your health as you start to approach 70 years of age.

Now I’m in the YMCA most days of the week. The workouts are not long or intense. To stay fit, you just have to move every day and get your heart rate up for 45 minutes. The movement causes your immune system to send signals to clean up the inflammation from exercising. Then your body sends signals to start the process of renewing cells. Here is the key. The body only sends signals to rejuvenate your cells after the body sends signals to clean up the cells. If you just sit around, the body only sends signals for cells to decay.

 

I see weathered old guys in the YMCA in their 70s who are fit and trim, and tough as nails. You know these are guys you don’t want to mess with. I intend to look like one of those men in ten years when I am in my mid-70s. When Clint Eastwood was asked what motivated him to keep going, he said, “I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in.” I’m trying to not let the old man in.

I am grateful God allowed me to live to 66 years old so I am now able to relax and live a quiet peaceful life with my animals.

Alive – Sia