The Nature Fix: Should I suck it up, to take care of my family?

What to do when you're living a life you don't love, buried in responsibilities?

Dear Out There,

“My brother moved away to Colorado 30 years ago and made that choice to live his life as he wanted. I, however, did not get that choice. Once he left, I had no choice. I must stay near my mom and make sure she is taken care of.”

— Just Tired

What happens when you turn 59, you wake every morning, do the exact same things every day. The way you shave, shower, comb your hair, feed the cats, eat the same things every day for breakfast.

Drive to work, do the same job. Which you are locked into, by the way, because you cannot go anywhere else without taking a giant pay cut. You are tired of living in the state where you live and want to move north, somewhere, anywhere but Florida, where you have been since you were five years old.

However, you cannot because your mom is old and lives in Florida, your daughter also lives here and comes over for dinner every Sunday.

I just want to stand in the middle of a stream, waders on, with my fly rod in hand, and live out my last quarter. But I am about 5.5 years away from retirement. But even then, will I be able to live my dream with mom still living and daughter still single?

Or should I relegate myself to dying in a state that I cannot stomach to live in, just to please everyone else?

- Just Tired

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