The best days of my life

[ClaireTalon]

The best days in my life occurred in the summer of 2004, rather late, isn't it? I was 41 at that time.

I had just taken my well-deserved retirement from military service, enjoyed the pleasant retirement party with fellow officers and selected NCOs, and was looking forward to an uncertain future of complete freedom to choose what I would do. As I've said, completely new to me. I have had no time between high school and college, or high school and military (virtually none, that is), so until that date, my life had been a steady procession of professional events. No moments of uncertainity, it was always clear what I had to do next.

I packed my boxes at the BOQ and headed out. My first thing was to rent a furnished stone farmhouse near Falls Church, mostly because I had been there once before and liked it. It took me a few days to get settled, then boredom struck. Getting my paperwork in order and establishing my status as a civilian was an easier transition than I had thought. Of course, if you are making the military - civilian transition in life, nobody can force you not to keep some of the traditions and habits you adopted in your military time, so it's much easier to go that way than making a civilian - military transition. It didn't take long until boredom hit me again. Having all day to pursue your favorite activities isn't too healthy.

So next, I started a big travel. I didn't pack much, but travelled to all the places that I ever wanted. I kept the lease for the house, but I travelled from one spot to the other, stayed until it became boring again, then kept on moving. In the end, I had been to a number of places in Europe: France, Spain, Cyprus. A number of places in Africa too: South Africa, Namibia, the Canaries (geographically Africa), Egypt. Asia and Australia too, and in the end I added a few days in Brazil. Altogether nine months of freedom to move, enjoying my life and looking at all the places that had interested me so far.

After my return, I was pretty sure that this wasn't my style of life. At least nothing that I could do all the time - just living for the moment. In other words, my mind had been corrected by then, I had learned my share. Today, I like thinking that this was one of the best things I had done, and certainly those had been the best days of my life so far (therefor, the thread title). I still suggest anyone who makes a drastic transition in life to take his time off and then make a decision. If one is stuck in a routine as I had been after my 20 years of military service, one is so absorbed in that world that the measures adopted can not be used to make decisions in the other world, or one ends up deciding for and against the wrong things.

What have the best days of your life been? Anyone feels like making use of his five minutes of fame?

 

[dong20]

The best days in my life...

So far, Claire. So far.:smile:

 

[vince]

The best years of my life were the years I spent raising our beautiful daughter. The daily joy she brought to my (our) life are something I'll be eternally grateful for. Since her mum worked so many long hours in the film industry, it fell to me to do most of the care giving. I would drive her to school, pick her up after work, take to whatever activity was happening that day, cook dinner, make sure the homework was done, watch TV, bath her (until she was 5), read her a bed time story, and tuck her in. Often I'd fall asleep next to her and wake up an hour later. There is nothing like the pure unconditional love of a child. Today she is in her 3rd year at University and we have a great, if long distance, relationship.

The last few years have been pretty good as well. I moved to Turkey, which is a very different culture than what I had lived in before. What I like is the challenge of learning my way here. The customs are different, the language is difficult, but the people are warm-hearted and kind. I have started a successful business in an industry which is expanding at a phenomenal rate here and the people I work with are really fun to be around. I have made more friends who truly care for me, than I have ever had before.

There is one thing that I have noticed about time. When my days are really busy and I am in unfamiliar territory, the months and years don't fly by as fast as when I lived a routine life in North America. I mean the days and weeks are packed and go by fast, but it seems I've been here much longer than 5 years. I've had this feeling before when I went on holiday. If I lie on the beach and don't do much, three weeks will fly by. But if I am on the move and packing a lot of activity into the time, the 3 weeks seem like 4 or 5. I don't think I can ever go back to the boredom of a 9 to 5 job in a "first world" country. I am not looking down on or judging people who choose to live in such a way. Everyone makes their choices and does what they have to do and I respect that.

 

[prince_will]

For me, so far, it has been the last few weeks or so of high school. everyone felt so together and sad to experience our last school events. We even made exams fun. It was just an awesome few months filled with togetherness and reflection.

 

[B_New End]

Right now.

For real. Ever since June this year, when I went on a long road trip alone.

 

[HazelGod]

Much like you, Claire, I feel the best days of my life are yet to come. That's not to say I haven't had a blast until now (this past weekend in Vegas comes to mind), but I'm always anticipating further adventures.

 

[Not_Punny]

I strongly feel that if I assign some period of my life as "the best", then the rest of my life will just be one of declining remembrances.

So...

Someday I hope to learn how to live as if every day of my life is the best.

That would be something.

 

[D_Preasteman Breastemann]

I strongly feel that if I assign some period of my life as "the best", then the rest of my life will just be one of declining remembrances.

So...

Someday I hope to learn how to live as if every day of my life is the best.

That would be something.

Beautiful AND intelligent?!
Why aren't English chicks like that?

 

[Osiris]

Mine are yet to come because just as I think I have lived them, I have more. The birth of my daughter proved that and watching her grow and learn further proves it.

I ain't really lived yet and the best is yet to come and babe it will be fun.

 

[ClaireTalon]

The best years of my life were the years I spent raising our beautiful daughter. The daily joy she brought to my (our) life are something I'll be eternally grateful for. Since her mum worked so many long hours in the film industry, it fell to me to do most of the care giving. I would drive her to school, pick her up after work, take to whatever activity was happening that day, cook dinner, make sure the homework was done, watch TV, bath her (until she was 5), read her a bed time story, and tuck her in. Often I'd fall asleep next to her and wake up an hour later. There is nothing like the pure unconditional love of a child. Today she is in her 3rd year at University and we have a great, if long distance, relationship.

The last few years have been pretty good as well. I moved to Turkey, which is a very different culture than what I had lived in before. What I like is the challenge of learning my way here. The customs are different, the language is difficult, but the people are warm-hearted and kind. I have started a successful business in an industry which is expanding at a phenomenal rate here and the people I work with are really fun to be around. I have made more friends who truly care for me, than I have ever had before.

There is one thing that I have noticed about time. When my days are really busy and I am in unfamiliar territory, the months and years don't fly by as fast as when I lived a routine life in North America. I mean the days and weeks are packed and go by fast, but it seems I've been here much longer than 5 years. I've had this feeling before when I went on holiday. If I lie on the beach and don't do much, three weeks will fly by. But if I am on the move and packing a lot of activity into the time, the 3 weeks seem like 4 or 5. I don't think I can ever go back to the boredom of a 9 to 5 job in a "first world" country. I am not looking down on or judging people who choose to live in such a way. Everyone makes their choices and does what they have to do and I respect that.

That experience is really different from mine. My life's best days really meant a break from the usual life, they were isolated from what had been before and what came after them. I guess everyone has his ways to get there; sometimes I think it's better if you can say that the best time you have ever seen was nothing isolated. That's how it should be, in my opinion.

For me, so far, it has been the last few weeks or so of high school. everyone felt so together and sad to experience our last school events. We even made exams fun. It was just an awesome few months filled with togetherness and reflection.

My high school days weren't so much a blast :frown1:, but I have heard from more than one that this period of life is what most consider the best days of their life. Really must be something about the time, probably because we all like the inner image of our younger selves, but now outfitted with the experience and appreciation we gained over the years?

Right now.

For real. Ever since June this year, when I went on a long road trip alone.

So I guess kinda like mine, only in small?

Much like you, Claire, I feel the best days of my life are yet to come. That's not to say I haven't had a blast until now (this past weekend in Vegas comes to mind), but I'm always anticipating further adventures.

Sure, if one says "The best days of my life" there's always an unspeaken "so far" added. But I would definitely draw a line between having a blast, which I have had often, and something that engraves itself deeply. Sorry, this sounds silly, but I mean it.

I strongly feel that if I assign some period of my life as "the best", then the rest of my life will just be one of declining remembrances.

So...

Someday I hope to learn how to live as if every day of my life is the best.

That would be something.

Rememberances can be nice too, I think, especially since all the negative things fade away. I recently noticed that I start making these weird choices in life, and feel being pulled back to the places where I have felt good in the past. Is that the age?

 

[earllogjam]

I've had a lot of great days but as for periods I'd say...

The months just immediately after my college graduations. That time before I really needed to find a job. There is a certain pride and satisfaction that comes from accomplishing a lifetime goal that makes you walk a bit lighter for a spell.

The month I spent exploring India backpacking alone on a shoestring.

3 months in Japan traveling with a good friend.

The day that seemed like a week was when my parents invited me AND my lover to dinner for the first time accepting him as part of the family and for the first time acknowledging my gayness.