How has your life been ,good bad ,fantastic?

[villagefarang 15,240]

I discovered Thailand as a university student and moved here full-time after graduation, at 23.  I lived the first 30 years in Bangkok and the first 20 of those I managed to remain single and free.  I managed to avoid marriage, children, career, debt, divorce, ill health and regret during those formative years.  I am presently 22 years into my first, last and only marriage.  Good health, deep enduring love, comfort, beauty, variety and a profound contentment with my life, seems to sum up my life so far.

[Tayaout 2,749]

Pretty awesome life so far. Went broke a couple time taking risk as an entrepreneur. Learned what it was to live poor and even homeless for a short time. No issue so far since I moved to Thailand. Fortunately my wife and child will probably never have it hard like I did. 

[Eye4you 5]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

Mines great thanks, nice new condo in central Bangkok in an area i love, great job i really like which pays great, nearly completed by Permanent residency, good group of friends I golf and badminton with and no worries.

Sure it wont last, but at the moment am feeling tip top- and its a Friday.

Good feeling. Happy Friday.

[thaibeachlovers 23,162]

Oh Bigun, you do like those controversial threads don't you?

If I were to relate the tragedies of my life one would wonder why I haven't offed myself already, but like the song says

 

I know what you must be saying to yourselves
if that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?
Oh, no, not me I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment
for I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you
when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my first breath, I'll be saying to myself

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is

 

Various singers I believe. Good lyrics- full version of is that all there is available on the internet.

 

So, lets keep to the positive

So so childhood, Sent to boarding schools full of bullies, but got through them OK. Good preparation for the military.

 

Went farming for a couple of years. Mugs game if not owning a farm- too much work and not enough pay.

[thaibeachlovers 23,162]

Stupid software posted me before finished.

To continue

joined up and saw the world- great life, loved it.

The Soviet Union fell and the military life went to <deleted>. Way too many mini Hitlers in it to stay in.

Went to Antarctica for a year. AMAZING. Best year of my life, but nothing amazing lasts and job there was only for a year anyway.

Went nursing, and started a relationship.

5 years later relationship ended, nursing continued

PO with rubbish wages for nurses in NZ, went to Saudi and minted it.

Discovered LOS and LOS beaches- bliss.

Left Saudi and went to work in London- terrible place, but better wages than NZ and more holidays, which allowed me to continue my love affair with LOS

[thaibeachlovers 23,162]

Sorry, computer did a wobbly, so to continue.

Left London and nursing- hurrah

Moved to LOS- bliss continues. Meet the love of my life- everything is perfect.

After living together a year get married. Move to the village, marriage enters spiral of death.

Marriage ends- life is not bliss

Live a year in Chiang Mai on not enough money, but OK life anyway. Looking on the bright side of life.

Money runs out, leave LOS. Life is not bliss anymore.

Find a place I can live on the pension. Life is stable, for now, money sufficient, for now, sunsets are nice.

Waiting for something to happen, and hope it's not something bad.

So my life continues in a comfortable, but very non exciting rut, but eventually something will happen. I'm old, so no prizes for guessing that it's probably going to be something health related. I just hope it's not painful or drawn out.

 

If I have any real regrets, it's that I don't remember the good things that happened to me in LOS. Those have faded away with short term memory loss. I can remember my school days like yesterday, but 5 years ago is a mystery.

[thaibeachlovers 23,162]

47 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

But how much happier does a bigger car or a bigger house make you? Sure, it's nice to have that 500PS Porsche. But does it bring happiness or does it feed the desire for that Ferrari or McLaren?

I never had a new looking car till now. I always had old dungers that I fixed up mechanically but kept the gold diggers away- worked like a charm.

 

[4MyEgo 8,733]

Good post Ivor Bigun

 

"My life" and "happiness" really started when I met this beautiful creature some 13 years ago, I was 46 at the time and had previously been unhappily married for about the 12 years, my x and I had a daughter who was 2 when we divorced and was in a shared care agreement. 

 

I retired 4 years ago and moved into our new home which was designed by my wife, it was being built a year before we moved here from abroad, everything went according to plan, albeit a little behind schedule, but we could move in while works were being completed, and yes I paid for it, and I refer to it as our home while I live in it. It will be hers when I am not here, e.g. cremated or I have relocate....lol

 

We have two beautiful eurasian daughters, now 10 and 5, and my wife has two sons from a previous Thai relationship, the boys parted from their dad when they were one, they have never seen or spoken their biological father, nor do they want to as I am the only father they have known. But as I say to them, "up to them", after all he did spend a miniscule amount of time bringing you into this earth.

 

Thailand is not perfect in a lot of ways, but then again, neither is it back home, really enjoy the house in the country, living amongst Thailand's poorest, who are a welcoming community, that and it is very affordable for me to raise 4 kids here.

 

No doubt plan B is to return to my home country when the kids get a little older as education and work opportunities I believe would be far greater for them there, and I would be willing to sacrifice my retired lifestyle here to see them excel, although they will have to contribute to the costs as we have raised our kids on a no free rides education system at home, e.g. chores, rewards, contribution. In other words, it's our way or the village highway  

[GarryP 4,692]

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Starting from 18 years old, here is a brief summary of my life so far.

 

Married 20 years

Single 10 years

Married 8 years

SIngle 6 Years

Married 3 years so far ............. happiest ever right now.

 

I can honestly say I have had a good life even with the ups and downs as everyone has. I was equally happy alone or in a relationship. I believe you have to make the most of what you have. I have had huge debts but now have been debt-free for some 15 years or so which has made a huge difference to my lifestyle. Only 1 regret is not divorcing the first wife earlier, instead of wasting too many years thiking things would improve.

 

Very happilly retired.

But if you divorced your first wife earlier, your life would have been different and you would not be with the woman you are now with at this happiest time of your life (I assume she is part of the reason for you being so happy). Sometimes you have got to just accept the past, rather than looking back and brooding on what you should and should not have done in years gone by, and just accept the present.

 

I too have been married for nearly three years now (second time around) and am the happiest ever. But without the <deleted> in my past I would not be where I am now. Not sure if that makes sense, but you get the idea.     

[rumak 3,739]

oh,  times like this i really regret there is no "puke" emoji .......  

 

no, i am not jealous.   i have had lots of experiences and certainly do not regret the ones that

were not idyllic.   I am much more drawn to guys that have also done many things in life and

have tasted the bad as well as the good.    they tend not to brag as much,  for me a very favorable trait.

[brokenbone 2,735]

id rather never have been born

[4MyEgo 8,733]

2 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

id rather never have been born

[BritManToo 25,435]

11 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

id rather never have been born

I thought that too ....... until I discovered Bar Girls!

Who could have guessed as a 50+ something divorce battered Brit, I still had the best years of my life still to come?

 

Thank-you Thailand!

Edited November 15, 2019 by BritManToo

[BritManToo 25,435]

37 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If I have any real regrets, it's that I don't remember the good things that happened to me in LOS.

Opposite for me, I never remembered much of my childhood (before 15), managed to drink away the memories of my life in the UK, but can remember every Thai experience I ever had ........ and they were all good!

[villagefarang 15,240]

Not sure why the good fortune of others would lead anyone to retch, but I guess it takes all types.

 

I appreciate all the uplifting stories presented by others.