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SWAMPLANDS OF LIFE...
I had become gradually aware that life was far more complex, unpredictable and demanding than I had experienced until then. Having worked as a banker and financial planner for most of my adult life, I was beginning to question whether my chosen career roles were truly fulfilling as I wanted them to be.
Fatherhood, while full of joy and challenge, found me more of an observer of my children's growth and activities, often at the expense of my personal development. My relationship with my wife, while committed, had become too predictable. My job, while rewarding in many ways, was not satisfying in the fullest sense. For now I sought to connect with people at deeper levels, without superficialities, adaptive behaviors and agendas. Because of my financial background I was becoming aware that it was necessary to make these changes in my life well before my retirement years.
I wanted a life that would enable me to meaningfully connect with people and social causes for as long as I wish to, well into the future. My vision of retirement did not include days of stupor in front of the television
or to slipping into the numerous forms of narcissism so abundantly available in contemporary American life. I wanted to continue to grow, to connect with life with people in my community and the greater world; to make a real difference until my last day. Lastly, I had struggled to fit myself into a prescribed faith tradition - but without the level or depth that I was seeking. In many aspects of life, I increasingly felt like a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. Refer to the links page for some interesting audios on this subject.
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