A Supportive Family

[BrettGC]

Seems to be a recurring theme here  :thumbsup:

[earthdome]

My family and friends have been a mixed bag. Some of my family are very happy for me. Others have questioned my decisions. All you can do is live your life as best you can and not worry about what others think. That is their problem. Not yours.

[stevewool]

Its always nice to have the backing from the family but its down to want you want to do,

I am not asking my family to move with me, but i am hoping they can see the change in me to hopefully have a future doing something that interest me.

In my case i know one day sooner then later we will be making our move to the phils, where who knows it changes everyday, but thats the joy i have for my future, will it be in the countryside or at the beach or heaven help me in the city,

I do hope my daughters will one day come and see me, but its down to them to do that, with skype and other ways of being in touch well it will be like sitting next to you when making contact,

[frosty (chris)]

Family can be gems. One of my brothers who has never been anywhere excepting Hawaii gave me alot of advice. I kept telling him, you're an idiot and finally that he should at least google something before he decides to warn me about it. The rest of the family has been great.

 

I have a friend who I told about my plans and he jumped in with both feet and barely remembered to hold his nose. Surprises have been hitting him left and right, not all of them good. The last phone conversation I had with him he told me I should never feel bad for putting the notion in his head because he's as happy as he has ever been, even with the surprises. He had been living alone in an apartment for the previous 20 years. Life had been passing him by. His children and others close to him, would have much rather he stay in a retirement apartment vegetating. It was not even a matter of distance, his children would not even drive 50 miles to see him and generally he was not welcome when he drove to visit them. He blew through alot of money when he first arrived in the Philippines and basically he lives off of his social security with a small nest egg. He does not spend like he used to but his fiancee is still standing with him, as others have said she would not. Other people can't live your life for you.

 

All my life I have been the idiot who did not know something could not be done. Either I have constantly done the impossible, or those telling me things are impossible are saying that because THEY can't do it and in their minds, it's the same thing. Don't allow other people to determine what you will do with your life and if you are going to live your life for someone else, make sure it's someone who lives under the same roof with you. Most people who want to run your life can't even keep a plant alive, make sure you like what they have before they can become your life coach. Those are my thoughts on the subject.

Triple Like, Robert K, I can relate to all you have said, hope you mate is enjoying his life here, I know I am.

[Papa Carl]

I have a small family and an even smaller circle of friends.

 

My Mother was the person I was most concerned about telling as she was in her 80's and truly adored the woman I had been living with in England (Mum was brought up in the Sally Ann "Salvation Army", and did the same with me). Oddly enough Mum ended up expressing that it was my life and not hers, and so long as I treated my wife with respect and love, and my wife did the same to me, she could eventually get used to it, and she has!

 

My Step-Father is a diamond of a man (originally from New Zealand, but lived most of his life in Canada), and has simply been supportive from the moment he heard Ellie and I were getting married, through to today.

 

My Father who died in 81, would be rolling over in his grave (but was cremated), as he was the original "Archie Bunker"

 

My Son,  (he has two sons himself) said "Good on Ya Old Man", and keeps in touch, but has not as yet visited, but then he has his own family in the UK, and is busy. (Kind of makes me think of "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens)

 

My Daughter is another story, she could never accept that I was marrying a woman younger than she was, (at the time Ellie was 24, and my daughter was 32). Things have mellowed at little since she herself has had children, and I hope that will continue. (So yes my "most recent" daughter is actually younger than my Grand Children)!

 

The rest, well those who smiled and said nothing, do not have an adventurous soul, and never ventured far from home, so I would not expect them to agree, but was grateful they decided to say nothing. Those who laughed to my face...., are no longer friends!

 

So all in all, I think I have been lucky, but as it has been said, it is my life, not someone else's to live!

 

Focus on what is right in your life, the rest will follow behind as it should, or get left behind.

 

Papa Carl

Edited August 23, 2014 by Papa Carl
corrections

[Hey Steve]

""Focus on what is right in your life, the rest will follow behind as it should, or get left behind"" [/quote.

 

Thanks Papa Carl..that kind of says it all to me-thanks for sharing that. I hope your daughter comes full circle like the rest. MacBubba is probably right-in time, mine will come around too.

[robert k]

My friend called me again this morning and asked me to bring a few things to make his life better, an outdoor thermometer, a good potato masher and some over the counter medications that Mercury drug knows what they are but they are never in stock. Compared to how he was in the US, he sounds so spry I wonder if I will be able to keep up with him. :thumbsup:

[Jack Peterson]

Focus on what is right in your life, the rest will follow behind as it should, or get left behind.

 

Fantastic Eulogy of Life.  :thumbsup:

JP :tiphat:

[rfhypnos]

Iam 68 and working on a K-1 fiancé visa, my fiancé is 42.  My two oldest daughters are 42 and 38 from my deceased first wife

. They are both against me making this move and marrying such a young woman.  One even accused me of being a sex addict and the proof is in me marrying younger each time.  Second wife was 14 years younger and I divorced her after two years of abusing my kids.  Third wife was great until she started drinking heavily and going out in the woods with another guy.  So now I am on number 4 and have bladder cancer in remission just looking for happiness and a companion.  I hope at some point the daughters will accept her. She is a great lady and keeps me happy which is he single most important thing you can hope for in life, cancer or no cancer.  Oh, by the way my ex wife is supportive and we are friends now, and the step daughter also thinks I should be happy.   Good kid. 

[Hey Steve]

rfhypnos sir, I hope that you can continue to keep the cancer at bay-first and foremost. Secondly, family's opinions usually speak louder volumes than that of friends, aquaintances, etc, Sometimes it can be rough hearing what they have to say. Just think if you were going to move to the Philippines to retire-how that would go over in addition to what you're hearing now. It's intersting, you know, my filipina wife, she is 42 as well, and when in the Philippines on visits, old friends often ask why I chose to be with such an ""old lady"" (been married over a year-K-1 for me as well). We are only 14 years difference. In some ways I kind of envy those who posted earlier here and shared experiences of such positive support from their families. But at my age (mid 50's) nobody is going to have a sit down long talk on this subject and they know it. They would have to shout over the music as I am playing "My Way" by Frank Sinatra anyway.