The Instructions

Decide if you want to be a Deferrer or a New Rich.

You probably have the book if you are reading this and you know have read the list on p.22 about how the values differ between the traditional wisdom of waiting-until-retirement or getting to live your life every (pay) day.

I learned the hard way. I'm "Only 47", and was informed by a life insurer that some program predicted I would live until 93. That's a lot of years to live on dialysis and Ramen, cold and lonely. But it's alive.

My father passed at 57; his brother at 53; my uncle at 43. Each one made a beautiful corpse, vibrant, healthy, laughing and thriving only hours before his heart wall ruptured. No Alzheimers, no bad hips, no worries about outliving the money or your friends and loved ones.

I was just starting my work life when my Dad passed. He would have worked another ten years, and then already had his eye on a post at the local university. He would have worked in his woodshop and rocked his grandchildren.

He would have traveled.

He never got to retire. He never got to bring his optimism and power to a university team. He did get to work in his woodshop a bit.

He never saw his grandchildren.

But -- he did travel. He traveled every opportunity he got, and we went with him. It was a glorious time where we all shared one goal - the experience. We learned, shared, laughed. We had a ball when the huge bus went nose to nose in a French back alley with an old lady on a scooter -- and she backed the bus down. We splashed on beaches in Hawaii- even though neither of my parents could swim or liked the water. We went to meetings at resorts with dad and stayed with the old emeritus someone who taught us to order Canadian Club and Dr. Pepper from room service. When my folks traveled without us, we learned about "International Operator". Not like Skype.

He traveled because he loved it. He didn't wait. He went to American Samoa and New Orleans for work. When the Soviet Union opened up, he and my mother and their friends went at once. When the People's Republic of China opened up, he and my mother and their friends went at once.

These were ordinary working people who made their dreams come true. They showed me I should make mine come true too.

I'm glad my father didn't wait. And I'll be damned if I do. No more deferring for me.