Why are so many people, in so many countries, so lonely — an affliction that the AARP says is as detrimental to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day? Guess what? It’s not you! You are fine, but you are fighting against a culture and built environment that cultivates social isolation. It’s time to say, “Enough!” and save your life.
Polished television commercials from financial planning services urge us to start young, scrimp and save, and be well prepared for our “golden years.” They are providing good advice, and I hate them. My stomach churns whenever I see the seniors pictured in these ads…radiating good health, smiling with perfect teeth, walking along a beautiful beach in their sun drenched retirement, secure in the knowledge they’ll have enough money to live until they die… with plenty left over for their kids. For most of us boomers, that picture is a myth and as elusive as a unicorn.
Do you want to be resuscitated? Do you want doctors to use extreme measures to save your life, or do you prefer a natural death? How much do you want your family to know about your situation? Who is designated to make decisions on your behalf in the event you can’t make them yourself? In the event you pass, what do you want done with your body? Do you care?
At some point in your future, perhaps at any time, and with 100% certainty, you will take the grandest, scariest, most adventurous, least predictable rocket trip of your life. If you were an astronaut with NASA, would you plan for this trip? Hell yes, you would!
While life is a spiritual journey, there are some very practical tasks that deserve your attention, and as I’ve said, if you don’t plan your life (or your death) then someone else will plan it for you. If you’re like me, then having someone else drive is NOT what you want. I want to chart my own course and sail it, thank you very much. So let’s get started.
