rainbowkinect

When you are a mere 20 something, the thought of retirement feels as real as the plausibility of humans rocketing to the moon. You know somewhere in the recesses of your mind that space travel may be a remote possibility in your lifetime but the actual “happening” feels as implausible as……., I guess, taking a rocket ship to the moon.

Days turn into months, months turn into years, and years turn into decades. Before you realize it kids are all grown up, your career is winding down, and you’re standing on the precipice of a new life. If you’ve planned well enough, and adopted a saver’s mentality, you stand a chance of having a life post responsibilities. The caveat is that debt must be a feared enemy and long gone before you retire. It’s hard but possible to live within your means. Our parents did it as their parents before them. Credit cards are a relatively new phenomenon, as recent as the early 1950s, as is the barrage of non stop marketing campaigns companies hurl at every demographic. Without focus and commitment to living a debt free life it’s a wonder anyone stands a chance.

I digress….. Saturday night, I attended a retirement party that signaled the end of an era. Having a career in medical sales is unique. Working remotely, with a targeted area to cover, minimizes the amount of face to face contact you share with your co-workers. If you’re lucky enough to cover a geographically dense area, you may have the opportunity to meet with members of your team ever so often…just because. You would think that geographical challenges would impede connections but by the very nature of the job, especially if you’re on a winning team, the help, support, and camaraderie overcome physical distances. Assistance is literally a phone call away.

Jesse, the last of our generation was retiring. Jon, retired a few months before, I, retired in 2016, and Bill, led the pack retiring 4 years before me. It seemed impossible yet fantastic! As I looked around taking in the faces of the much younger but equally talented and committed members of the team, I could not believe how lucky we all are. We are truly living the best of times. Being surrounded by family who love you, friends who care and support you and a litany of endless possibilities……..really, what could be better!

Life is truly what you make of it. Of course there will always be trials along the way but in the end we must celebrate our very existence and remember, every one of us are special, we have value and more importantly our lives matter.

Let’s commit to one another that from now on one of our primary goals is to Celebrate Life!

What are you grateful for? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.