Late Retirement

2026 - a shocking number.

It was the early 80s, and I was looking at one of the most memorable numbers, and moments, of my life. Sitting at a desk in my first permanent full time job, I  had just opened a letter from head office. 

Blah, blah, blah, probation over, blah, blah. Then, there it was - my suggested late retirement date - 2026.

I was overcome by SADLOL (sitting at desk laughing out loud).

The letter was like a punch in the gut to my 20-something rebellious sensibilities. I had never before bothered to figure out my official retirement date because it was soooooooo faaaar in the future. 

So far. So very far.

It seemed silly to think that I could predict what life would be like so far in the foggy future, but what I really could not wrap my still developing brain around, was the enormity of spending the next several decades of my life honing a daily grind.

I was hit by a fight/flight/fright reaction. I had a strong urge to flee while I still could.

Contrary to the company's advice, I did not file that letter for future reference. 

Instead, I began to draft my own way, which has turned into a decades long dedication to living as simply as possible so I could be as free as possible as soon as possible.

I started the final move toward avoiding late retirement, and early death, when in 2000 I took a leave of absence from my teaching position. After a year abroad (we wanted to take advantage of the fact that Linda could still walk at the time), we came home and made it permanent. 

I resigned from my full time teaching contract, which meant I was able to take on a wide variety of interesting jobs ranging from chauffeur to environmental educator at a city waste water treatment plant, to groundskeeping. 

The thing they all had in common was that they were not permanent full time, something I always found rather onerous. I prefer seasonal and contract work. In this way it is possible to work as much or as little as needed. 

If I had to work, I wanted to work at jobs that didn't interfere with my primary interests, which did not include "normal" things like having a career, becoming wealthy, or having lots of stuff.

By 2010, sixteen years earlier than my official system sanctioned date, I retired from paid work. That allowed me to be at home caring for Linda, something we both like a lot.

Financial projections we have done indicate that we will be fine in the long run... as long as we continue not buying anything we don't need.

I am still shocked at that number: 2026. 

Except now, rather than being befuddled by how far in the future it is, I am gobsmacked by how soon it will be here.

Life is short. Don't wait. Simplify now.