And that's priceless.

I just walked 7 miles. A saunter into the great outdoors. Communion with nature. And later this evening I'll go another 3 miles. I'm of the notion that this is the way to live. Leisurely. Casually. In a relaxed, unhurried manner. No stress. Mental or physical. Took me 60-some years to reach this way of living. Had to reach retirement age. And then I retired a bit early. At 62. Just think what I would have missed if I had dropped dead 10 years ago. That's not to say that I couldn't have lived at a significantly slower pace even when I was younger. But I didn't think it was appropriate. Because I was busy making a living. Pursuing a career. Making ends meet. Being a provider. Being responsible, I guess. Doing what's expected. I think it's a little sad that not everyone lives long enough to retire. To slow down. Anyway, I think I've never been more in love with life than I am now. I've evolved. I've become a lover. Because I've learned that what makes life worthwhile is the pursuit of happiness. And it's love that brings me happiness. That's my focus every day now. Love. To love. To feel love. To be loved. And to savor it all. By slowing down. By living in the moment. The now. Not to get ahead of myself. When I think too far into the future, I dilute the moment. The now. Some may say they can't afford to live the way I live. They're too poor. Not rich enough. I don't know about that. All I know is that there are many, many people monetarily richer than I. And many poorer, too. I don't know where one draws the line. I live on less than I did when I was gainfully employed. But I make do with less. And yes, I probably could have made do with less earlier in life. It's a question of priorities. My priorities are different now. I seek to be a better lover. Of life itself. And that's priceless. --Jim Broede