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Message for Members -- Live Life to the Fullest

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I released an article in today's Daily Bulletin that all our members should read. No it's not about gunsmithing, or reloading, or wind-reading. It's about living life -- how to get the most out of our remaining days. I am 68, so I hopefully will have another 10 to 15 years. But one never knows. And the passing of three good friends in 2022 has made me think of what's really important.


This Bulletin article explains how to predict your remaining life-span, but more importantly it offers some collective advice on how to best spend the time one has left. Below are the conclusions of older men who were surveyed. They offer wisdom that we all should take to heart.

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Living a Life with More Good Times, and Fewer Regrets​

Recently, a group of men, very near the end of their lives, were surveyed. They were asked if they would do things differently if they could live their lives over again. The vast majority of these men gave surprisingly similar responses, which fit into five “Life Lessons”. These “Top 5 Regrets of the Dying” were reported in a story by Bronnie Ware, writing for the AARP online magazine. Ware writes: “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced.” Here are the five regrets most often mentioned by older men:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
“This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. ”

Lesson: Don’t wait to follow your dreams. Be true to yourself.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
“This came from every male patient [surveyed]. All of the men… deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”

Lesson: Don’t let your work crowd out other important aspects of life.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
“Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming.”

Lesson: Express yourself truthfully. Don’t suppress your feelings for decades.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
“There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort they deserved. Many [were] so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years.”

Lesson: Take an interest your friends’ lives; keep bonds of friendship strong.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
“This is a surprisingly common [regret]. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice.”

Lesson: Affirmatively pursue the things that bring you happiness. Don’t just stick to old habits.
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And here is my personal advice for readers -- Get away from the computer, spend time with friends, enjoy nature. Don’t put off doing the things that make you happy. Call those old buddies you may not have seen in a long time. Renew friendships. Get out into nature. And start figuring out how you can live your dreams. As the saying goes, “Time waits for no man”.
 
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My best life lesson or piece of advice came to me at age 17.
I was heavily inebriated on a beach in mexico shooting the bull with a stranger.
An very elderly couple(96+) carefully made their way ankle deep into the Pacific
holding on for dear life. The family explained that they had pinched every penny
and amassed quite a fortune and this was their first vacation.
The stranger looked at me and and said " F***k that s**t, my last
check is going to bounce!"
 
Profound post and posts - helps resets one's focus on life.

At 76, I have learned that it's the people and events in your life that add lasting value, not material possessions. I try to take one day at a time and get something positive out of that day.
 
Like K22 at 76 I have learned what's important in life and what really isn't. In the past 2 years 5 friends who I have competed with in shooting and also other sports have passed. The group of us traveled many miles to matches. One of them I first met in Sunday Scool at age 6. We competed in many sports and shooting till all of a sudden he was gone. One of the others I flew around the country competing with, often running through the airport to make the plane. Good memories with all, actually priceless. I thank God for many things including my fellow competitors and friends over the years. The 5 I speak of never argued, did trash talked a good bit, helped each other out ......until it was gone. Points gained or lost are forgotten, true friends never are. Take time to enjoy friends and life.
 
Learned a valuable lesson from one who doesn't go in for professional anything, be it NFL football, MLB baseball, NHL hockey, auto racing, college sports, basically any venue where the participants are being paid to fulfill their dreams, etc. He said "Spend money on your own dreams and not someone else's".
 
Some of the things listed is have been on mind to do since the passing of mother and sister.
My dad instilled a hard work ethic in me. I've been driving truck for 33 years and have missed out on alot of things.
It's time for me to slow down and enjoy before I can't.
 
“Time is limited” a doctor said to me one afternoon…. It was when I was going to see my mom.

A friend of mine who I worked with before retirement used to say “if you think you want to do something, you better go ahead and do it”.

Those phrases are more than enough to make you take stock.
 
Great advice. My Dad passed away at age 62, wife’s father (weren’t married at the time) passed away at age 58, and coworker passed away at 62. Three years ago March 28’th my company offered a package to me to retire and I’m blessed that I could take it at age 62. It’s awesome being retired doing the things I want to when I want too.
 
6 years ago, over the course of 18-24 months, 1 cousin and 3 high school friends (all my age) died via accident or sudden illness. Throw in an older cousin and brother in law (within 90 days of diagnosis) passing from cancer. A while later a coworker my age passed after a failed heart transplant. Very eye opening. Sitting at a desk and spending the prime of your life (I was 52) for somebody else suddenly had no appeal. With my wife's encouragement and support, I transitioned to part time work. If I run out of funds, I'll go back to work when I can't travel or be active.

I don't have the lifestyle I had back then due to greatly reduced income, but life is good. Tinker with my hobbies, travel some, and hang out with my wife. Life IS good.
 
I've had 2 life threatening illnesses, my wife one. We all have time stamps and if our check engine light gets a reset we need to consider our lucky stars and take advantage. I may have had to quit competing but other aspects of our lives have not quit. Winters without snow and extensive travel to far away locals top the list. All 50 states, check. Most of Canada, check. 22 foreign countries, check with 4 more coming beginning next week. Spending a great deal of our children's inheritance, checking....... and checking.......
 
Sounds familiar! I’m going on 2-1/2 years after pancreatic and liver cancer diagnosis. I don’t get around like I used to, walkers and canes at times. If we go requiring an airport or significant walking I always take both. Amazing how accommodating and helpful people can be. I can either sit at home and wither away or I can spend a couple days in Bergen, Norway, board the boat, stop at various places enroute to 5 days in London. The prairie dogs should be out by then!
 

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