Monday, January 24, 2011

The Next 50 Years

Most of what I'm going to say is just logical and has nothing to do with Seeing the future but some of it does.

The single most important things if you want to survive and be okay 50 years from now would simply be good physical and mental health. Though this is completely logical that these are the single most important things that everyone needs, you would be absolutely amazed how few people actually think this way in their everyday lives.

Likewise, though many might be attached to careers, wealth, land and all other kinds of things that one can have and own, it might be important to cultivate ways of thinking that would allow you more easily to live without all these things. The problem with having everything is that everything can be taken away in an instant. So, if one can concentrate on what is important: Staying healthy in all ways, for example is the single most important thing you can do if you still want to be here in ANY form 50 years from now.

Everything else is sort of like having gravy to go with your mashed potatoes because they can be just fine with just butter or sour cream too. So, thinking in a way that keeps you healthy and alive are really the most important things along with people you love like friends and family. Career and possessions are nothing in comparison to health, friends and family. If you can have everything at once then good for you. But even then try not to get to attached to things, money and career because they might not be there one day.

If you have been watching the weather worldwide the last 20 years or so you have seen every manner of calamity worldwide, and likely all this will only get worse in all directions (hotter, colder, wetter, drier, windier) over the next few centuries and more. So, the likelihood that more and more and more people will simply not make it through the increasing intensities of all kinds of weather worldwide is a given, worldwide.

So, what then is important to you now and in the future? This is something that one should begin thinking about because whatever is going on in your life is sure to change over time, so one needs to at the very least prepare mentally for anything if possible.

When I was young I used to always embrace change pretty easily. But now even though I'm still in love with the idea of embracing change, at 62 the idea and the reality are not the same anymore. So, as you age be aware of how you are changing. What might work for you at 15 or 20 might not work at 30 or 40. I know this seems like anyone should know this but the sad thing is many people can't get past thinking that they are about 25 (yours truly included sometimes). So, trying to find a way to age gracefully is kind of important to your long term survival.

Also, if you are an adrenaline junky in that you live for extreme events just remember that extreme events don't usually happen every day. (And for people who always live that way most don't ever see 30 or 40 or 50 years of age). So this is something to consider as well in your decision making.

For example, I stopped riding off road motorcycles (dualsports) when I turned around 40 thinking that I was too old for such things. However, after getting divorced at 44 and remarried again by 45 and a new daughter now  14 with me at 62, around 60 I realized with a new bursa in my foot that made it feel like my foot was literally on fire anytime I walked on it, that I needed to buy another dualsport Motorcycle just so I didn't start thinking I was a cripple and permanently collapse in on myself. (Because I've just been too physically active all my life to continue to stay alive not being able to walk, ride, swim, snorkel, fly, glide etc. like I have all my life). So buying a motorcycle basically saved my life and I know this for sure about myself. Luckily, my mental trick on myself worked. Within about one year my "foot on fire every time I walked" started going numb instead of being on fire. Whether this was because the nerves just wore out feeling like they were on fire I don't know. However, now I can walk about 6 miles before the numbness moves up into my ankle and then I might sprain my ankle. So, I try to walk less than that in one walk or hike.

Yesterday for example, I rode down Highway one about 25 miles into some great redwoods and streams and felt renewed on my Kawasaki klr 650. It was good to be alive in the 70s Fahrenheit riding along the northern California coast in January.

70s in January??
Yep! But that's another Global Climate Change story.

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