Yesterday I had a letter conversation with a new friend in which I was reminded of a lesson taught me by a local friend with whom I often have conversation. This friend and I are retired. She is retired and caring for her elderly father, which means she is more tied down than a teenager on restriction. My elderly parents are more able and my time is largely my own, as it has been for much of the past two decades.

The lesson I am repeatedly taught is: Other people have lives they do not have the time you have. The implication of course, that I have no life and ought to get one. I have heard the expression enough, yet no matter how it was said, I always considered it just one option of many. Most folks have lives I would never want for me. They are welcome to keep them and build whatever they choose.

When I chose time and limited freedom, over money and limited freedom, I was unaware there was any workable compromise between the two things that would in fact, increase my freedom. Now I know there is. I can make time budgets instead of, or in conjunction with setting material goals.

For more than 25 years, I have been self employed part time, thinking I had chosen a lifestyle to which I was committed. When opportunities came along which would increase the value of my labor with only a temporary demand on my time, I ignored them. After all, I had made a commitment. Great big mistake, that. Due to age and the internet my world has tremendously expanded. I see it possible to strike a compromise a better balance. Now I am ready to sacrifice some of that precious time to learn about automated marketing.

The friend I wrote yesterday opened a response with a question. What do you want to sell? This is the internet. This is a deceptively tough question. I know because about thirty years ago, I learned I could do and be anything and anybody I wanted. Who and what did I want to be? It took a few years to decide on simplicity. I wanted to be a simple man, living a simple life. I have only succeeded halfway. I have the simple life but with all the interests I have accumulated over my lifetime, I find it impossible to be a simple man. Some would argue the point.

As my spiritual and emotional enlightenment proceeds in leaps and pregnant pauses that sometimes leave me a bit anxious, I see a have your cake and eat it future for the survivors who want it; as well as in these years leading up to near future catastrophes. I think I am going to eat more cake.

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