At some point in everyone's life, they have a frightening moment or something that scares them. Whenever it was, whatever it was, and how you reacted, makes you...you!
Over my lifetime, I've had several harrowing incidents. Some were near misses with potentially deadly consequences. One incident I will never forget involved snow skiing with my daughter when she was 9 years old in Big Sky, Montana.
Lost on the Mountain
We were on our last run of the day late in the afternoon and had just made it to the top of the mountain when we noticed a flurry of activity by the staff to close everything down. 'What's going on,' I inquired. 'A sudden snowstorm changed direction, and it's headed right for us!' the ski patrol staff informed us. 'Should we stay up here or get down the hill?' I asked with particular concern for my daughter. 'You've got time to get down if you hurry,' was the direction we received.
Unfortunately, their timing was wrong. We started our descent, but within minutes, it started snowing. It was snowing so hard that 10 minutes later, we could not see more than 10-15 feet in front of us. My daughter fell, and my worst fear happened as I helped her get up. I realized we were lost on the mountain.
The wind was blowing so hard we were getting snow-blinded, the temperature had plummeted, and it was also getting dark. I reassured my young daughter to continue to go down the mountain, and eventually, we would reach safety. In the dark, two hours later, almost frozen, we saw lights off in the distance and headed toward them. With incredible luck, it was our very own condo. We skied up to the back porch and inside to a roaring fire my wife had made. 'I've been worried sick!' she exclaimed, 'The ski patrol couldn't even go look for you in the storm!' shouted my concerned wife. All I could do was collapse alongside my daughter in front of the fire, completely drained but grateful to be safe.
What Made You...You?
What was one of the incidents that brought you great fear? We all have those moments when life throws us a real curveball. But sometimes, some actual events in our lives are even scarier than anything we can imagine. What was yours, who was with you, and how did you react?
Whatever it was, it made you....you!
By David Edge
David Edge is a retirement lifestyle writer and contributor to the ARA monthly newsletter. His articles blend personal stories with practical insights on living well in retirement.
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Easy Eddie's Take
David's story about being lost on that mountain with his daughter really hits home. A lot of people ask me, 'How do you prepare for the unexpected when you're retired?' The truth is, you can't prepare for every scary moment life throws at you, but you can build financial safety nets that give you options when those moments come.
Think of it this way: having an emergency fund with 6-12 months of expenses, proper insurance coverage through Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plans, and a solid retirement income plan from Social Security, 401k accounts, and IRAs is like having that warm, safe condo to ski toward in the storm. Most people are surprised when they learn that the average emergency for retirees costs about $3,400, but medical emergencies can run much higher, especially with Medicare Part B deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums to consider in 2026.
The good news is that facing financial fears works a lot like David's mountain experience. You take it one step at a time, keep moving forward, and trust that your preparation will get you through safely.