Our time on earth is limited in terms of our physical stay but lasts much longer in terms of our achievements and the memories, ie, the legacy, that we leave behind. How we will be remembered by others will depend on many factors but only you know if you had given your very best to make the most of all the opportunities that came your way. One of the better ways to ensure a positive legacy is taking the right steps, such as having adequate life insurance and providing for the mechanisms of intergenerational transfer of wealth (eg, wills). There are online services that can assist in learning more about the preparation of wills and other important legal documents. Sometimes we take these things for granted and some say it is easier said than done. Perhaps by this time we have learned from the lessons of history for a better legacy for our children.

No question about it, America’s and the world’s population continues to grow older, in terms of percentage of the demographics and in terms of time on this also-aging planet. And it is in the retirement years that benefits such as Medicare and Social Security payments /allowances become most critical all the more, in the face of fixed-income and rather limited income-generating scenarios on top of health issues and increasing prevalence of medical comorbidities in this age group. For the ones who are already there, the available benefits will be generally adequate. This brings to fore the importance of saving in the younger years as we prepare for any potential re-adjustments in benefits that may arise due to changing economic realities. 

Funny it may seem but this may be true to/for a lot of people. Some of the most important decisions in life – such as those related to 1) choice of a lifetime partner, and/or 2) selection of a career – may have been arrived at without the corresponding deep analysis that they deserve.  The next generation may profit more by knowing that there may have been several factors that may have accounted for such, including:

• A certain amount of parental influence
• Tradition (eg, arranged marriages, etc.)
• Economic reasons
• Spur of the moment impulse
• Factor x

Recognizing the various factors at play may lead to better decision-making among the members of the next generation.  As is the case in most cases of choice, it is good to remember that in certain aspects of life, such as in war or in love, there is not much consolation, if any, in being in the runner-up position. Always give your best A-kind of effort. While no guarantee can be given, the satisfaction of knowing you have done your best erases any second-guessing or any thoughts of what could have been. 

There are lots of reasons why every sunrise that marks the start of a new day is a special event to be celebrated.  For one, it signifies all the opportunities to achieve our dreams. Of course, it also allows us to share the warmth and friendship of our families and friends. In this vein, agingbasics.tv presents a tv internet experience of a sunrise at Maui . By the way, come to think of it, that is just one more proof why we call it the PRESENT, since it is really a gift unlike no other!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit ofHappiness."

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likelyto effect their Safety and Happiness."

But of course, the other part of the equation is knowing what it means to be happy. According to the nineteenth century Polish poet Cyprian Norwid: "To be what is called happy, one should have something to live on, something to live for, someone to die for. The lack of one of these results in drama. The lack of two results in tragedy." To expound further, the lack of three would definitely be a nightmare. Fortunately, when we look around us, we see that the majority possess the ingredients of living a happy life. The only thing that remains to be done is refocusing and redefining the way we look at things and the road to happiness and joy should be as open as the Pacific Coast highway at dawn when the traffic is light and the scenery is just amazing to behold.