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Column: Good times? Bad times? Let’s just say ‘different’

COURTESY PHOTO Our columnist celebrating with his 80-year-old sister, Janet.
COURTESY PHOTO Our columnist celebrating with his 80-year-old sister, Janet.

I clearly remember as a young man being told that people my age would probably never see the turn of the century. After all, I would be in my 60s at that time and that was about how long I was told we were going to live.

The turn of the century has come and gone and many things have changed. Some things are better. And some are not. But things are certainly different.

I grew up in a wonderful era. When I was 6, World War II was over. Life in the 1940s and 1950s became all about the family, and picking up the pieces to establish a new life.

Everyone I knew was in the same boat — no one had any money. I never remember going to a restaurant or calling someone to fix anything. If something was broken, you had to figure out how to fix it. You usually had a friend to help who knew what to do, but you would be there helping.

If you had a flat tire, you fixed it. If your house needed paint, you painted it. If your leaves had to be raked, you raked them. If a plumbing pipe broke, who do you think had to fix it?

Today, we are a throw-away society. Instead of fixing, we call someone, or we buy new. Because of this, we put the shoe, radio and TV repairmen right out of business.

For those people today saving for retirement, I want you to understand something I never thought of as a young man — the person you are saving for is not the young you. Remember, you will have totally different life priorities. You won’t need nearly as much money as you did when you were young.

That’s because you would have learned to enjoy simpler pleasures. For instance, I used to love to travel. Traveling was nice, but quite expensive. Today, I love to be on Shelter Island, in my own home and sharing stories over a drink or a meal with my many lifetime friends.

An example: My son has New York Giants tickets and asks me every week if I’d like to go to the game. I feel bad telling him each week that I’d rather not go. The day takes about 12 hours of driving, freezing, walking through crowds and finally reaching an uncomfortable seat where I can’t even see the players.

The new me sits on a couch in my living room with snacks for three hours. I have a close look of every play and when the game’s over, I can rest or watch something else. I think the new me is getting smarter.

I also discovered that there’s nothing like loyal friends. When I think of good times, I always have more fun with a few friends over a simple dinner than all the fancy and expensive parties I used to attend.

The new me doesn’t need a lot of money to live. I need an income, but just enough to pay for food and bills. There’s nowhere in the world I really have a desire to go.

Also, with the loss of body flexibility, I can’t play sports like I used to, and I don’t enjoy playing them as much.

As a young man, Anne and I drove across the United States three times. We wintered in Florida for over 50 years, and sailed the Caribbean on eight different cruises. Outside of missing my friends in many of those places, I don’t have a strong desire to go there anymore.

However, when you get older, you develop a whole new group of expensive friends, known as doctors. Since my first encounter with a doctor came at 66, my life was pretty good. Since then, I’m afraid to tell doctors that I don’t feel good because I know I will be sent to another specialist.

Don’t fear growing older, but keep your mind young. Somehow you change as a person and you adapt. You desire different things and the only money you need will be to cover your basic bills and food.

Get up when you want. Do whatever you want. Eat smart.