When I was in the military I met a guy named David S. We became friends mainly because we were both defiant people and both of us married girls from the Philippines. My wife and I never talked about him without mentioning his wife nor would we talk about her without mentioning him. It was as if each had the same name, David and Ramy. They seemed so happy. That's why it came as a huge shock to learn of their divorce.
I suppose the divorce had a big influence on Dave and my relationship as we never saw each other but once after they separated and last touch after their divorce was final. That is why it was a big shocker when about eight years ago I heard from Dave and he had not only remarried but had already retired. He was just in his fifties and he had married an attractive blonde. Dave and his new wife, Chris, were living it up visiting beaches up and down the eastern seaboard and even a few in other countries. After a few years of that the to of them purchased an RV and began living this way during the spring, summer and fall, only returning home in the dead of winter. This year they have ventured out and are RVing full time. We keep in touch via Facebook and are regularly updated with pictures of campsites, menus of places they eat and stories of people they have meet. Seems like the perfect carefree life.
I suppose, for them, it is. Dave and Chris had spent their lives living in one city and working for the same manufacturer raising their respective families in a seemingly humdrum world. I spent my life working at various jobs and lived in different places. Dave;s life was stable and mine was in constant turmoil. When he retired he was ready for some adventure. When I retired I was ready for some stability.
I remarried after my wife passed away and we settled in a small town, purchased a modest home and have dedicated our lives to serving God at a small local church. I give aid to my Mom and did so to my wife's mother when she was still living. I spend many hours working at the church. I believe there is more yard work to be done in the winter what with clearing some land. That's about to come to an end which is okay with me. I think it about time I switch gears and concentrate on something beside the physical. I do as I also teach and write for the newspaper.
I love my stability and the fact I can have friends and belong to things and feel like my life has a purpose. While Rving seems glamorous and I do feel a ting of jealousy now and then, especially over the pictures of my friends sitting around a campfire with good food and new friends. Then i noticed someone wearing a light jacket and think it must be a little cool and I see the Tiki torch
and think of the bugs and mosquitoes and then I realize that soon my friends must clean up, pack up and move on, spending countless hours on the move to a new campsite. Maybe the next one will not be so nice.
There is just as much work involved in maintaining an RV lifestyle as there is in maintaining a 'home. I can do a lot more to entertain myself than I do. I can fish more and take more day trips. It's nice to have a choice of how to spend ones day. My uncle compromised. He worked for his church as a Deacon just as I do, had his home, wife, family and garden, and yet he had his RV and spend many an hour in the mountains or by a lake doing what he loved best: sharing time with his wife and fishing. One can have it all I suppose.
One doesn't have to choose to RV or not. There are many more choices out there than that. The point is that in retirement one can spent time doing what one loves to do. it is said one gets out of life what one puts into it and that is never more true than in retirement.
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