THE CAGE

The mortgage is paid, the kids are gone and the dog—if not already dead—is on its last legs. For many boomers approaching the age of 60, the day is not far off when you will finally be able to leave “the cage.” But then what? We have been so conditioned by our society to “tune in” to the media and “tune out” our minds after a hard days work that its difficult to imagine doing anything else with our free time. We have made our “cage” so comfortable with all of the STUFF we’ve managed to accumulate over the years that we are reluctant to leave it all behind. But its just stuff! And those things that kept living in “the cage” tolerable are no longer necessary. It’s time to turn off the TV and step outside because guess what?
The cage is not locked.

It has been almost a year now since we walked away. We live in a space not much larger than a big tent—150 sq. ft. to be exact. We have no material possessions to speak of—only bare necessities. But these last few months have been some of the happiest of my life because every day is a new adventure. Friends and family are only a phone call away and we can rent a car or hop on a plane to be “home” again whenever the spirit moves us.

With todays medical advances it’s entirely possible that many of us will live to see 100. That’s 40 MORE years!! Think about it! More than enough time to begin a new life and GO where you want to go, DO what you want to do. Last week while browsing through a little shop in Fernandina Beach I came across a wall hanging that expressed what I’m trying to say SO much better than I ever could:

Life’s journey is not to arrive safely at the grave
In a well-preserved body
But to skid in sideways shouting
“Holy Cow! What a ride!”