The truth is your beacon,
Don’t ever forget!
A light in the darkness,
A faithful asset.
All-In Or Nothing Beyond Retirement
Whenever I write a book, I carefully select those whom I ask to write the foreword or an endorsement. I send them an Executive Summary describing the subject of the book and the content therein. This usually happens long before the book is finished.
I choose people whom I know and who know me, because I want them to give you a bit of unsolicited insight into my character so that you will be encouraged and eager to listen to the message of the book. They make the message of the book believable! Let me tell you a little bit about these wonderful people.
They make the message of the book believable!
Barbara Pace wrote the foreword for All-In Or Nothing Beyond Retirement. She is a gifted lady with many “irons in the fire” of her life. She owns a genealogy business which helps find lost parents of adopted children. She is a mother of nine of her own children, and a devoted wife. She is an avid reader, and is studying to be an attorney. She and her husband are very accomplished pickle ball players.
Barbara’s foreword is personal and hard-hitting. She really writes from the heart. She and I have talked about some of my ideas for holistic health, so when she says that you can “leverage your knowledge, wisdom, faith, talents, and years of experience so you can continue adding value, enjoying your life, and impacting other lives for good, “ you can believe it!
I love her last paragraph: “People in this world need your wisdom and experience, helping hands, loving heart, friendship, faith, and good example. There is so much good you can do. Don’t slow down- step up.” She is referring to all of us here. What an encouragement!
I was privileged, honored, and blessed to be able to attend college at the United States Military Academy at West Point with LTG (Retired) Gary Speer and MG (Retired) Bob Dees. Both of these men distinguished themselves by serving in the Infantry Branch of the United States Army for over 30 years after we graduated in 1972. They are great leaders, and also men of phenomenal character. Gary continues to serve on many corporate boards and volunteers time to the Academy in matters dealing with the recruitment of outstanding candidates for West Point. Bob is the President of Resilience Consulting LLC and has spear-headed the development of the National Center for Healthy Veterans, an organization which helps veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) heal and effectively reenter our world as vibrant, influential, and functional members of society.
Dr. William S. Spears and I became friends based on a mutual interest in the history of the Civil War. I was impressed when Bill earned his Doctoral degree in business management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), well after his 50th birthday. He founded Cenergistic, Inc. in 1986, and has continued as its CEO for the past 35 years. Cenergistic, Inc. is a conservation company which teaches administrators and managers at schools, churches, hospitals and state and local municipalities how to save energy and other precious resources. He is an example of one who has never “retired.” He continues to contribute to his community and his country, irrespective of his chronological age.
David Henslee has been a physical therapist in north Texas for many years. He and I have a mutual interest in sports medicine. After stepping away from that business model and retraining himself, he became a certified Health and Wellness Coach. He continues to serve his community by helping senior citizens rediscover and reclaim their zest for life. He knows only too well that “our world grow smaller as we age. It’s imperative that we find a way to push back, to regain the lives we once knew, to reclaim our physical, emotional, and spiritual vitality.” David truly “walks his talk.”
Mike Abel is the quintessential Renaissance man. He and I became good friends in 2010, as we began shooting metal silhouette targets together. We competed, but also cooperated with one another to make us both better. A very solid bond of trust developed quickly between us. I marvel at his attention to detail and his commitment to excellence in all facets of his life. Mike is a quiet leader who is very principled in his walk through life.
I was honored when COL (Retired) Terry Wallace described me as a “clear thinking, measured coach that those of us in our mature years can listen to and trust. His research and analysis of the proper way to approach a healthy, though retired, road ahead will be of interest and benefit to all who read his work.”
The relationship and the friendship which COL Wallace and I have developed over the years was forged in the crucible of West Point. Then MAJ Wallace was the officer in charge of company (E1), United States Corps of Cadets, from 1969-1972. I was a member of the cadet Class of 1972 in that company. COL Wallace mentored me when I was the company commander of E1 as a senior.
I found COL Wallace to be a sage, level-headed teacher and guide who allowed me to lead others in my own way. He was indispensable to my development as a leader. I always felt that COL Wallace had my best interest at heart. He, and his wife Audrey, still come to our company reunions. It is always a joy to reconnect with them.
The impact that COL Wallace had on my life is impossible to measure; I can only hope that I can be as effective a mentor to others as he was (and still is) to me.
I am fortunate to have developed such great friends along the way. They inspire me daily. A character quality common to all of them is a giving Spirit. They make things better than how they find them, whether it is people, programs or institutions.
… a giving Spirit.
I would encourage you to take inventory of those who have had a positive influence on your life too. Thank them publically, if possible. They deserve to be recognized and lauded for the impact and direction they have had on your life. They cared enough to help you over some of the rough spots. That is significant!
I hope you will read about all of the precepts in All-In Or Nothing Beyond Retirement with both interest and intent. The book outlines an adventure into living perspectives and health-truth, and is as complete and practical as I know how to make it. It would be almost impossible to adopt everything that is described in the book, but I am sure that some parts will “speak to you” very clearly from the outset. Keep the other principles in your “back pocket,” in case you wish to use them later.
This book is my gift to you at this time in history.
Other blogs will follow. The next blog will be Chapter 1 of the book. I hope to give you a feel for its message and the tenor with which the precepts are presented. From there on, we will be discussing other interesting facets of the journey toward vitality and increased functionality Beyond Retirement.
Glad to have you aboard. Enjoy the ride!
These are the people we most often listen to and learn from. At some point, there may be only small embers of Spirit left within you, but they are always waiting to be fanned aflame. All you need is oxygen (breathing), and a fuel source. The fuel you use usually involves desire, resolve, and positive feelings generated from the heart, such as love, compassion, appreciation, and gratitude.
When you synchronize your whole mind-body (mind equals emotions, intellect, and Spirit), you are functioning with all that you have. All of your energy is being vectored in the same direction; you are focused on the same result. Nothing is being held back; you are like a high-performance car which is tuned to run on all eight cylinders. No parts sit dormant; anything is possible. Life is great, and there is meaning to what you are accomplishing.
Secondly, Spirit remains mysterious and illusive because we are taught very little about it. It is difficult to become aware of something about which you are ignorant. At home, only if parents are interested in Spirit and in passing along its importance to their children, will the subject be raised. In many cases, the “urgent,” tangible things of life take precedence. Knowledge of the Spirit becomes a back-burner issue.