Future failure of Social Security will lead to change

I anticipate Social Security will change to provide 7 years vacation after 20 years of work. Then, after you take the 7 years off, supplemented by as much money as you managed to accumulate (and it may be possible to accumulate money every year, through thrift and investments!) then you go back to work, to earn a second 7 year retirement, then you go back to work again.

Mark Twain in his "Letters from the Earth" describes what Methuselah's many times great grandchildren thought about him. One of his descendants was Noah, who was quite upset that the old guy kept dropping by and making fun of the ark.

So, live long enough to be a problem for the children. Then be a problem for the grandchildren, then the great grandchildren...

See, It just gets better and better. Someday you will have more time in Civil Service than you have in the uniform Air Force. That will be a big day.

Kipling has a story about "The Miracle of Purun Bhagat" , where a gentleman lives what to him is a perfect life: 20 years a student, 20 years a soldier, 20 years a head of household, rising to be prime minister of his country. Then he leaves his position, and becomes a traveling, begging holy man, spending 20 years a priest. At the end of that time he is permitted to perform a miracle, in the commission of which he sits down to rest in the position of prayer, and dies. The villiage who he saved built a shrine to him, and worshiped him as a very G-d.

Each life well lived has different roles. Actions suitable for one role are abhorrent in another, only to the extent that they are not ridiculous. Life is the point. In all the vast expanse of space, the only place where we know of life is here. Of all the world teaming with life, the only intelligent species is Man. And some of us aren't too bright, and those of us who are have our bad days. Everyone is ignorant, just on different subjects.

Don't worry. Be happy!