Essay On Importance Of Life Planning

CHAPTER 7

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE FULL OF GROWTH AND LEARNING

You bring a future into your reality each time you make a choice, and as the future becomes your present, you must choose again . . . when you make
(healthy) choices you come alive, your creativity f lows, all that you do has meaning.

—Gary Zukor and Linda Francis,
The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice

It is exciting to be a senior adult with a strong sense of purpose and clear direction about your future. It provides real incentive to get up in the morning and to feel there is much to accomplish for the day ahead. It is my real-life experience that we need this goal setting in our retirement to give meaning and joy to life. That purpose could be a simple decision by a man who loves woodworking to build a wooden cradle for his newly born granddaughter. A woman might choose to join a craft club to do a set of needlepoint napkins for her daughter and son-in-law for Christmas. It can be a small hobby we are pursuing, but do it with real anticipation

Let me summarize, for example, the several reasons why having a life purpose and life direction is so very valuable versus just f loating along in life without giving thought to either idea.

1. Having purpose gives direction for what and how you use your available time. I am amazed at the large variety of activities seniors choose to do. I have a friend, for example, who has formed a miniature railroad club in his hometown, and he invites the few members to the basement of his home where he has devoted the entire space to building a large miniature railroad created to look like a small town in a wooded countryside. He and his friends spend nights and days working at this beautiful assembly, and they love every minute of it. It consumes and occupies much of their days, but for the members of this group, it is not work or a burden. It is sheer