As a member of the "senior set" I have to ask myself if the balance of my life, my final chapter, is to be one of dissipation or emancipation. I am very cognizant of the fact that many might disagree with my choice of these two nouns. Trust me, I am using them to convey a specific message.
Dissipation as a noun has many meanings. The definition I use here is "a wasting by misuse". Liberation is the definition I use for emancipation. I set out the definitions I am using to set the frame work of the thoughts that have been mulling around in my brain. These thoughts have centered on how I am going to live the balance of my life.
My business partner and co-founder of Odyssey, Jim Baker, and I have discussed at length the quandry with which many seniors are faced. Often we feel, and rightly so, that our worth to society and those closest to us has greatly diminished. Politicians really only consider us as a voting block before an election, we are no longer the, or one of the, primary wage earners in the family unit, our present or past employers often merely tolerate us as we are no longer a vital part of the machinery of commerce. Others have judged our worth to society as declining, fast becoming a burden to those around us.
Advertisers and marketers roll out stereo types of "older folks" barely able to walk, communicate and certainly not using the newest in technology available. We still think our IBM Selectric is the greatest invention of all time! The question begs to be asked who is the biggest culprit in this drama of life. I believe in my life it is me. If I accept this stereo typing of me, if I buy into the idea that my value as a human being and my ability to contribute is much limited then I can look into the mirror and place the blame. This is why I would say I am leading a life of dissipation if I continue to accept these ideas of ineptitude and in fact foster such ideas by my continued attitudes and behaviors. I am "wasting my life by misuse".
My goal is to live a life of emancipation. I want to be liberated from all those things that influence my thinking in a debilitating way, to expel the impediments that hold me back. I want to live a life that is fulfilling not just full. I don't want to wait around and be part of life as an after thought.
What Jim and I have done is to develop a program that is meant to address the final phase of our lives. That time in life when the kids are adults living their own lives, We are retired, semi-retired or perhaps phased-out of our employment. Our lives are not so much directed by forces from outside of ourselves, in fact our lives are much more our own to direct ourselves. The question I pose to myself is how am I going to live that life. It is hard for me to believe that I will get maximum enjoyment by sitting back in my lounge chair flipping through the cable stations trying to find something interesting and all the time complaining that no one seems to want to involve me in their lives! Well, I can't imagine anything I would have to contribute if my life is one of discontent and stagnation.
So the question I pose to myself is how to make changes that allow me to lead a fulfilling life, one that has meaning and allows me to be involved. My thought is that if my life has meaning, if I am happy and content, perhaps those around me just might find it to some degree desirable to have my company. So we have a program that we think addresses some things that, if dealt with, just might provide the opportunity for us to write a great final chapter to our lives. A chapter that represents a life that is fulfilling not just full. Give our website a visit and see what we are offering. You just might find yourself and your life on a new course. Visit us at www.odysseywise.com. Have a good night.
Dissipation as a noun has many meanings. The definition I use here is "a wasting by misuse". Liberation is the definition I use for emancipation. I set out the definitions I am using to set the frame work of the thoughts that have been mulling around in my brain. These thoughts have centered on how I am going to live the balance of my life.
My business partner and co-founder of Odyssey, Jim Baker, and I have discussed at length the quandry with which many seniors are faced. Often we feel, and rightly so, that our worth to society and those closest to us has greatly diminished. Politicians really only consider us as a voting block before an election, we are no longer the, or one of the, primary wage earners in the family unit, our present or past employers often merely tolerate us as we are no longer a vital part of the machinery of commerce. Others have judged our worth to society as declining, fast becoming a burden to those around us.
Advertisers and marketers roll out stereo types of "older folks" barely able to walk, communicate and certainly not using the newest in technology available. We still think our IBM Selectric is the greatest invention of all time! The question begs to be asked who is the biggest culprit in this drama of life. I believe in my life it is me. If I accept this stereo typing of me, if I buy into the idea that my value as a human being and my ability to contribute is much limited then I can look into the mirror and place the blame. This is why I would say I am leading a life of dissipation if I continue to accept these ideas of ineptitude and in fact foster such ideas by my continued attitudes and behaviors. I am "wasting my life by misuse".
My goal is to live a life of emancipation. I want to be liberated from all those things that influence my thinking in a debilitating way, to expel the impediments that hold me back. I want to live a life that is fulfilling not just full. I don't want to wait around and be part of life as an after thought.
What Jim and I have done is to develop a program that is meant to address the final phase of our lives. That time in life when the kids are adults living their own lives, We are retired, semi-retired or perhaps phased-out of our employment. Our lives are not so much directed by forces from outside of ourselves, in fact our lives are much more our own to direct ourselves. The question I pose to myself is how am I going to live that life. It is hard for me to believe that I will get maximum enjoyment by sitting back in my lounge chair flipping through the cable stations trying to find something interesting and all the time complaining that no one seems to want to involve me in their lives! Well, I can't imagine anything I would have to contribute if my life is one of discontent and stagnation.
So the question I pose to myself is how to make changes that allow me to lead a fulfilling life, one that has meaning and allows me to be involved. My thought is that if my life has meaning, if I am happy and content, perhaps those around me just might find it to some degree desirable to have my company. So we have a program that we think addresses some things that, if dealt with, just might provide the opportunity for us to write a great final chapter to our lives. A chapter that represents a life that is fulfilling not just full. Give our website a visit and see what we are offering. You just might find yourself and your life on a new course. Visit us at www.odysseywise.com. Have a good night.
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