rubic

I have been with my company 30 years this month. I am on a 4 year plan towards retirement. Although my financial situation isn't optimal, I have a defined benefit retirement plan (these things are now dinosaurs), a 401k fund and, hopefully, Social Security. I also intend to sell my house within 4 years. Best of all, healthcare for my wife and I are and will be covered.

Retirement, I can taste it.

Retro Grouch 

I don't think so.

Each experience that we have in life affects our thinking and our actions from that point forward. If an experience hadn't occured, our lives would be in some way different today. To that extent, every single experience was necessary for us to be who we are today.

That doesn't mean that everything was good. Everybody has bad experiences and life isn't fair so some people suffer much more than others. How we respond to the badness of our lives, however, can actually make us stronger and better people than we would have been otherwise.

CraigB

I can't even begin to take the necessary time to answer this honestly and thoroughly.

NOS88

I think you're wrong. You're confusing or missing my main point. There are some, and I repeat some, experiences that are NOT necessary in anyone's life. Once something does happen, however, what one does with it is important. But to suggest that it's necessary would give legitimacy to some horrible acts that have been perpetrated on people. With that said, I'm done with this discussion. I don't believe it was Denver's intent to have it head in this direction. And, frankly, I don't need to think about this any longer.

TomD77

No. The almost total collapse of an industry forced early retirement on me and I like very little of it past my ability to bike daily.

jtaylor2

I'm 64 and if I had it to live over wouldn't change a thing. My only regret is that my body isn't in a little better shape. I have a bad back with 2 degenerated and 2 herniated discs, emphysema, one knee that's been operated on and the other probably needs it. I just retired a couple of months ago, so I've got time to do the things I've been putting off for years. My back and breathing kind of limit the kinds of exercise I can do so I've been trying to bike to stay in shape. I can do 20-25 miles on flat trails with no problem, but any hills just kill me (can't get enough air). And unfortunately all the roads around my house have hills. I'm hoping breathing on hills will get a little better if I keep at it, but with COPD I'm not sure. In any case, as long as my health doesn't get any worse the future looks bright.

Jim

teachme

I picked happy. Of course, I've made a few mistakes I regret, but overall I fulfilled my promises to myself and others that mean the most to me, so happy with the past, and very happy with the future direction. Opened a buisness that is growing and is less than a year old. So, when I retire from teaching in ten years I will be set with a buisness that will keep me happy, and my banker happy too.
I also have been blessed with two grandsons; Tommy is 3 years old and Jude is 3 months old. After raising two daughters I am absolutely thrilled to have grandsons to watch grow up. Oh, I almost forgot... having rekindled interest in cycling has improved my life. Finally found an exercise I enjoy doing.

BluesDawg

I'm OK with it. I could have made some better decisions along the way, but some of those bad decisions are among my best memories.

Rick@OCRR

I pretty much couldn't be happier with my present life. I have a wonderful wife who enjoys cycling as much as I do, a great job that I really like and look forward to going to each work day, and a great cycling environment here in Southern California.

Plus, pretty darn good weather most of the time, two great sons who have turned out quite well and three grandsons who seem to be doing well too.

I belong to a couple of excellent bike clubs, one for shorter rides and social rides (Orange County Rebel Riders) and one for double centuries (California Triple Crown) with so many great riders that I now have as friends.

Absolutely no complaints!

Rick / OCRR

zoste

I'm happy with the direction I'm going. Sixteen months ago, the age of 54 and without a job, I packed up and moved from the rust belt to Arizona. I've been lucky enough to find just enough work to keep one step ahead of the creditors. Nine months ago I convinced my girlfriend to sell her house, marry me and move out here with me.

I've pretty much made my own decisions and lived the way I wanted to. What's not to like?

sarals 

Not many gals responded to this one, now did they?

This has been a "retrospective" period in my life. I have spent a lot of time looking and back and thinking "what if". The catalyst for that has been the bicycle, yes it has, and the fitness and desire to explore being athletic. It's changed my life, and although I was never unhappy, I am happier now than I've ever been.

Not long out of college, I let my career take my life over and pretty much rule me for the next thirty years. I "did my job" in lieu of relationships, a home, kids and most of the other things that women usually desire and or do. I'm just a little different, I guess! I don't regret it, though.

Now, I've switched gears. I'm not letting work rule my life, and that's been a tough transition. However, I am so glad I've made that change. I have more friends, I'm much more social, and my life has achieved a stability that I never really knew it lacked it (until it came!).

Happy, yes indeed.

Artkansas 

If failure is the route to success, I must be ready to hit the big time any moment.

making

Been nuthin but a party. Hope to keep it up. Maybe if my retirement account makes a comeback I will be able to.

miss kenton

I have always considered myself to have been blessed with good fortune. I am healthy, have a good family, good friends and was fortunate enough to have three healthy babies. I was lucky enough to be able to choose to stay home and raise them and they are well on their way to being successful young adults. I have a husband who respects my independent nature and has supported my cycling hobby, my choice to return to college and all the other off-beat endeavors I made.

Now that my kids are out of the nest, I have begun a new career, have a great hobby and the time and energy to pursue both. Is my life perfect? No. That would include a home in the south of France, a wrinkle-free face, and a butt that doesn't require endless lunges to keep it from disappearing entirely. I would consider this period the best time in my life. Perhaps, in part, to living long enough to see the misfortunes and unhappiness others have suffered and recognize how lucky I've been. I don't want to sound like a Pollyanna, but I count my blessings.

GeorgeBaby

I have everything I need, and a fair amount of what I want. So, yeah, I'm happy.

zonatandem

Am 78 years old, spouse Kay is 2 years younger.
Married (HAPPILY!!!) for 56 years.
3 kids, 4 grandkids and 2 great-grandkids.
Retired 16 years ago.

Can't change the past . . . primarily very good (except for 4 years of starvation during WWII in Belgium and a stint in the Korean War).
Present is great . . . still riding TWOgether on our tandem.
Future . . . ? Ask me again in 20 years!

John E

I had been considering self-employment, a combination of consulting and college teaching, for several years, but was abruptly forced into it at the end of 2008. The first half of 2009 was very tough (true for many folks -- I am glad the bond raters at Moody's and S&P may finally be investigated as the criminals they truly are*), but things have been going well ever since, as all my networking began to bear fruit. These days I usually make somewhat less per hour than I did at my peak, but I am enjoying work and bringing in enough money to avoid touching my nest egg, so life is good.

I am blessed with a wife who is financially responsible and "low maintenance," which I think makes a world of difference.

_____
* Recommended viewing: "Inside Job," Sony Pictures -- withdrawn from theatrical release, available on DVD

akohekohe

This is to me a very simple poll, I can either ride my bike or I can't. I live where I can ride 360 days out of the year (the other five days the roads are closed because of flash flooding or something like that) so I'm happy. Actually, today I couldn't ride because of some intestinal flu but that won't last. So I'm happy.

Bionicycle

The past is what it was... The present is what it is... The future has yet to be written...

Happiness, Success, Satisfaction, are all just self imagined states of self worth in any given moment of time, and can change in any other moment.

I'm happy with my past, it made me who I am today. I'm happy with who I am today, so ergo I'm happy with my past. The "Direction" of my future life is unknown. It will be up to me and my self expectations as to whether I'm happy, successful, or satisfied with the way my life was when I draw my terminal breath. Why and how, would I ever wish to compare it to some other persons life?

As far as biking... it's great fun, but not something I will ever judge my life by.

bigbadwullf

I picked answer one. Two years ago I would have not even come close to choosing it.

donheff

Looks like the older we get the higher the satisfaction ratio. Maybe that's because many of us in the 60+ categories are retired and stress free. From my Panglossian perspective this is "the best of all possible worlds."

volosong

Couldn't have said it better in my own words. You hit it perfectly. I live a life that has been blessed.

Smogsteve

Good Question. I have a job I love to go to most of the time. Enough time off to ride my bike as much as is possible. A wife that thinks a biking trip in Europe and South America where fun. Two great kids with doctorates, when I just finished high school. Yeah, I am happy with the past and future of my life. Whom among us would not have changed the past if we could? Overall I did not screw it up too much.

LAriverRat

I saved 4 peoples lives, 3 from drowning, 1 from choking. Survived two airplane "Malfunctions" in one day (1969). Every day is a blessing. Everything works out for the best. Excelsior!

maddmaxx 

Every change I could go back and make would have produced a different person who would then need different changes. I am who I am and I'm happy with that.