I love the work I do and have done. I love working for newspapers. At the same time this week I told my friends I have to find a way to support the lifestyle of vacation/retirement. Yes I know it’s a long way off. At least I think it is. You never really know in these uncertain times. I started to look at work and its importance when I was sick several years ago and then again a few years back when some more bad medical news came my way.

Being healthy again, well at least according to the last blood work last week, you get back to the normal grind of earning a living and paying the bills and keeping the lifestyle you had before those things came around but its different. Retirement is a mixed bag. Even now when I think about it, I think about less pressure filled types of jobs or no job at all.

The balancing act is trying to have some time to enjoy life, but enough money to support that escape from the rat race, high pressure, long commute, long hours and daily grind. At 61 years old I worry each time I hear of a friend around my age leaving this earth or a headline of the latest celebrity passing that is in their 50’s and 60’s.

I lost that feeling of invincibility at 50. I know now more than ever that life is finite. I know also that I can be happy working into my 70’s if needed and in all reality it will probably be more likely than not. And it’s not because I’m worried about the money itself or the lifestyle or what I’m able to leave my wife and children.

We adjusted fine to one salary when we had children. We made the decision that it was just about equal to pay for child care and work as it would be to stay home and raise our own children with one less income. Yeah it hurt for a while. Some things were tough to stomach. Having to decline things we had done in the past. But in retrospect it was one decision I think we are both proud of.

Both my wife and I enjoy our jobs. Yeah there are more tough days than easy ones. But we take a lot of pride in our professions and our work for them. When I look for answers on when the time is right there are no shortage of opinions, guidelines and numbers. Only each of us will know when the time is right for the change. Every set of circumstances is different. Many things could happen between now and then that could have drastic effect on the timing.

All I do know, is that I won’t have a problem in changing from creme brulee to small cherry snowballs if needed. I just want the time to enjoy either of them with my better half, family and friends.