Congratulations to Robert Phillips for Winning the January 2016 Barefoot Writing Challenge! (Your $100 prize is on its way!)
The Challenge was to write an essay that answered this question:
Besides making a living, writing can give you deeper benefits like more freedom, flexibility, emotional well-being, etc. What deeper benefit do you hope to achieve in 2016 through writing?
Robert wrote a touching essay about what fuels him as a writer. Plus, he describes one of the hidden benefits to Barefoot Living. Enjoy his winning submission:
The Trouble with Aging
The trouble with aging is that no one has ever done it.
I am 86, workout at a gym three days a week, and am rarely sick. But there is no one at the gym aged 95 or 100 who can counsel me about what to do when I get old.
It’s like being Columbus — heading for a new world that no one has ever seen before.
Everything before age 65 had sort of a “framework” because so many others had followed the path. But after 65, there is no path.
Oh, there are other folks over 65, but they are as confused as I am. We all know that death lies ahead, but how far?
If it’s only a year or two, we can just vacation and wait.
But suppose it is longer. If it’s ten years, wouldn’t it make sense to work a bit?
Did you know that when Social Security started, almost everyone was supposed to die at 63?
With the wonders of modern medicine, diet, and exercise, the age of dying keeps moving. Today anyone reaching 60 can expect to live another 50 years.
Really! 50 years! Check it out!
What are you going to do for 50 years after retirement?
Acapulco? Paris? London? What about the money? Checkers or chess anyone?
I know what I want to do. I want to work! I should have started 20 years ago.
I want to stay connected to the world. Solve problems. Take on projects. Earn money. A few limitations, of course — age 40 is long gone, along with some of its energy.
What do you think about writing?
We already have accumulated tons of experience. There must be a lot of things it would be easy to research and write about. The Internet is everywhere. We could do it all from wherever we happened to be. We even could do it barefoot!
I think I know the answer, for me. I want to deal with others in the world who don’t consider my age an issue of any kind. I want to accept challenges that are as big as I can handle.
There is a company that teaches persuasive writing and helps new writers get started. It is available to help any prospective writer take the steps needed to create an after-60 life far beyond anything previously considered … more exciting, more involved, and even profitable.
I can research every interesting project to my heart’s content. Write every day to meet any schedule I choose. In my pajamas, if I wish.
The best feature of all is that AWAI skills spend like money. Whatever is going on in my life will be easier with persuasive writing skills. Start a second business? Help a friend’s business? My church? My favorite charity?
AWAI is the answer. During 2016, I want to learn like crazy and become fully engaged.
My year-end targets are 500 words per day and $500 per week.
