I don’t attend church on a regular basis, no less associate with any particular denomination. Yet I am a born again Christian since '73. I strive to never discuss “doctrine” because I’ve seen the Bible used more times as a sword to divide, than a scripture to heal and minister. I’m liberal on most social subjects and yet very conservative about others. I grow tired of people who will insist that I am not a Christian because I believe in (fill in blank here) or don’t believe in (another blank here). The longer I live, the more I learn that things are more gray and less black and white. I think that compassion and understanding lie in the gray and not in the absolute.
I feel closer to God when I’m out hiking with nature, sitting by a campfire, or just feeding the birds on my deck. The only truths that I have found so far are simple.

God is real. He loves me for who I am, flaws and all. And I will never be deserving of his Grace.

For now, that is enough for me.

I am sitting here, hunkered down in my fall-out shelter, wearing my “I SUCK” tee shirt contemplating the demise of all web accounts. Making a living, selling narwhal tusk key chains, carved in the shape of Sponge Bob and Friends is hard work. (African albino dwarves is an awesome idea… I need to get designing and carving! Now that’s something the entire world will buy! I’ll be famous and rich) ____I have friends that have turned self loathing into a fine art form that I can only aspire to….. of course I’ll fail… (reading shirt again…)____I love the smell of sarcasm in the morning! ____THANKS__

Somehow, this question reminds me of THE LAST LECTURE by Randy Pausch. If you have not seen it, I highly recommend you invest 1 hour to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Great question!! Having worked at the same place for the past 36+ years, I often look back and say, what if..... Making decisions based on "finances" vs passion is not a fair trade. I think humans are creative beings by nature and to stiffle that creative energy and flow, makes us less than what we are, and prevents us from touching all of the lives we could have.... who knows the impact of just 1 song, one photograph, one painting, one new non-profit organization. I cannot change the past, all I can do now is hope to do better in the future and during retirement.

I’m not that different at all. I just happen to be down the road a bit further and have a few more grey hairs. Preparing for retirement is very much like “graduating”. The big question is the same…. NOW WHAT?
The common thread is that we are all wondering…. What is our passion. What are we going to do with the rest of their lives that will make a difference. Some of us just have a lot more sand in the bottom of the hour glass than others. (Most “older folk” don’t know what the heck we're doing either.)
Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone. So make good choices, seek good council, and help as many other people along the way as you can. It will come back to you. Above all, don’t be in such a hurry to get to where you are going. Take the time to just STOP, and take in the journey itself. It’s the best part.

9 years ago, I was still getting used to the fact that my daughter had moved out on her own… to Georgia of all places. I was helping my son, pick up the pieces after he returned home for the 2nd time, after spreading his wings and crashing to earth again. Lastly, I was living in fear of loosing my job during the next round of layoffs, wondering if I would ever have enough money to retire.

Sound a bit different than most who read this blog?