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Yesterday I had a letter conversation with a new friend in which I was reminded of a lesson taught me by a local friend with whom I often have conversation. This friend and I are retired. She is retired and caring for her elderly father, which means she is more tied down than a teenager on restriction. My elderly parents are more able and my time is largely my own, as it has been for much of the past two decades. The lesson I am repeatedly taught is: Other people have lives – they do not have the time you have. The implication of course, that I have no life and ought to get one. I have heard the expression enough, yet no matter how it was said, I always considered it just one option of many. Most folks have lives I would never want for me. They are welcome to keep them and build whatever they choose. When I chose time and limited freedom, over money and limited freedom, I was unaware there was any workable compromise between the two things that would in fact, increase my freedom. Now I know there is. I can make time budgets instead of, or in conjunction with setting material goals. For more than 25 years, I have been self employed part time, thinking I had chosen a lifestyle to which I was committed. When opportunities came along which would increase the value of my labor with only a temporary demand on my time, I ignored them. After all, I had made a commitment. Great big mistake, that. Due to age and the internet my world has tremendously expanded. I see it possible to strike a compromise – a better balance. Now I am ready to sacrifice some of that precious time to learn about automated marketing. The friend I wrote yesterday opened a response with a question. “What do you want to sell? This is the internet.” This is a deceptively tough question. I know because about thirty years ago, I learned I could do and be anything and anybody I wanted. Who and what did I want to be? It took a few years to decide on simplicity. I wanted to be a simple man, living a simple life. I have only succeeded halfway. I have the simple life but with all the interests I have accumulated over my lifetime, I find it impossible to be a simple man. Some would argue the point. As my spiritual and emotional enlightenment proceeds in leaps and pregnant pauses that sometimes leave me a bit anxious, I see a have your cake and eat it future for the survivors who want it; as well as in these years leading up to near future catastrophes. I think I am going to eat more cake.
Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com
Ed Howes sought and found, knocked and entered. Now he sees things differently. To see more of what he sees, please visit www.justanotherview.com or do an author search here at Ezine Articles. Readers grow: Wiser, better, faster.
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