Slowing Down

Or, should I say "Savoring Down"?

Nov 21, 2024

For those following along, you are probably aware that my efforts to create a retirement community in Bali didn’t get off of the ground. There are a few micro communities with under 10 units here and there, but my idea of a robust community with lots of amenities to keep folks busy — to date there ain’t such a place in Bali.

As Kurt Vonnegut said in his book Slaughterhouse-Five, “And so it goes...”

By deciding to “let it go” — in terms of creating or not creating a retirement community — at least I don’t feel burdened anymore, unlike this scooter driver (see above photo).

Mostly I feel like it’s time to reset, to figure out what are the best ways of using my time, and given that I’m 67 years old — I need to stay positive and grateful for the time I have left on this dear, incredible planet of ours.

During morning walks I sometimes come across remarkable artifacts left by the Balinese, as in the photo above of prayer offerings next to an important waterway (not in the photo). In the distance there’s a woman giving her offerings at a roadside mini-temple. There are thousands of these throughout Bali, and all it takes is a walk through a neighborhood to realize that we are all on sacred ground.

One personal project that’s underway is the sale of my existing house so that we can move to a house that has been designed, but not yet built.

The new house will hopefully look like this:

But now it looks like this:

It will be about 1/2 the property area of our current home, but that’s ok. By scaling down we will have the ability to travel more, as there’ll be less construction costs, less maintenance, and less headaches keeping us grounded.

We will still have 4 dogs to worry about when we travel, but somehow we’ll figure it out.

Yours truly with half of our dog family.

About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with glaucoma, and while I have stabilized my vision loss through a regiment of eye drops and quarterly trips to my optometrist, the diagnosis plus the day to day eye drop ritual is a constant reminder of a ticking clock — that while the universe might have 12 billion more years before its heat death, each of us is literally the blink of a blurry eye.

Deciding to actively travel and take advantage of the “good years” I have left is an unexpected bonus of having a health condition with no cure. Perhaps my vision will be stable for the rest of my life — but then again, who knows?

As some of you consider your retirement plans keep in mind that statistically, the average person peaks, health-wise, at the age of 63. You then have 16 or so years to enjoy your golden years, but your health will not be optimal. In other words, don’t wait too long to live some of your dreams (without going broke of course).

Someday there will be many senior communities in Bali. And maybe one of them will be co-created by me. Or perhaps not. It doesn’t really matter. The forces continue to be in favor of such future developments as Bali continues to be a relatively low-cost, safe, and fulfilling alternative for most anyone who wants more peace in their lives.

Later,

Neill

Retire in Bali

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