WHEN TO RETIRE - part 1

Articles In This Section:

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 1

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 2

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 3

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 4

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 5

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 6

· WHEN TO RETIRE - part 7

Do you know what the word vicarious means? My dictionary puts it this way:

Vicarious, adjective. 1. performed, exercised, received or suffered in place of another. 2. taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute. 3. pertaining to or involving the substitution of one for another.

For instance, if you go to a movie and watch two or three cowboys kill a hundred or so Indians, you are having a vicarious adventure. You aren't doing it yourself, but you are thrilled, excited, titilated by seeing someone else do it. When you read a love story you have a vicarious romance. You yourself aren't kissing or being kissed, but vicariously you enjoy the thrills of love.

For many years publishers specializing in travel guides have realized that the greater number of persons who buy their travel books are not going to actually do any traveling. They are what are known in the trade as armchair travelers. In short they are vicarious travelers. They love the thought of traveling to far lands, the meeting of strange peoples, the seeing of the great sights of the world— but they never get around to doing it.

Personally, I have met many of these people. They will sigh in admiration at the many countries I have seen and invariably will say, "All my life I've wanted to travel but I've never been able to afford it. I don't see how you do it." Out in front of their house will often be parked a current model of one of Detroit's biggest monstrosities which cost nearly four thousand dollars. With half that amount they could have taken a leisurely trip around the world. That would still leave them enough to buy a smaller car, or a used one. They are vicarious travelers, not real ones. They don't really want to travel but just think about it, and read about it, and talk about it.

Or we might mention two friends who publish a small magazine in Florida called the Florida Opportunity Bulletin. It is full of information about retiring to Florida, or setting up a small business in Florida, or finding employment in Florida. They distribute by advertising in national publications and in newspapers in the northern cities. They have literally tens of thousands of subscribers. Most of these subscribers they find are vicarious dreamers who will never take the step. They would love to leave the coldness and drabness of their northern homes but for whatever reason don't. Each month they get their copy of the Bulletin and moon over it, and discuss the various Floridian cities and towns, discuss the various jobs, the business opportunities—but they never actually pull up roots and go.

All of which is a rather lengthy build-up to what I'm driving at.