My DH and I spent the weekend with a friend we hadn't seen for years. It had been too long. He's the kind of person that you leave feeling, "Wow. I feel better than when I came -- uplifted, joyful, with an attitude adjustment that prevents me from worrying about little stuff."
Some backstory on the friend: 40ish, male, pastor of an urban protestant church. Never married, no kids.
But I've always felt he's living the life he wants. He's so socially connected, and he lives a mustachian life. Most of his possessions are either family antiques or gifts he's been given throughout the years, or upscale dumpster finds. He paid his way through college and seminary working very hard, escaped debt, and now lives very comfortably. I don't know his housing and salary package but he has more than enough. When he wants to travel abroad, he travels. He maxes out his retirement savings. I know he's familiar with clergy tax benefits. Overall, he seems shrewd. Our lunch conversation meandered through topics ranging from Warren Buffett to the afterlife. He has the experiences he wants -- theatre and symphony tickets, his favorite restaurant from time to time. He reads the books he wants. I honestly feel like he's living his dream and although there's not one great love in his life, he talks a great deal about the "loves" of his life -- the many friends and family he's close to. Perhaps another person would find his lifestyle unconventional and it would hinder his freedom. He is, and always has been, a happy person. It makes me think how I (and many others) spent many years trying to find that one person who would make my life complete. I feel like I chose well, but I can see where it's healthy to have a number of people to meet your emotional needs. Most of us learn this with time. (I'm just talking about the emotional part of life, not the sexual or physical.)
He has a TV, because someone gave it to him, but he doesn't watch it (no cable).
He knows lots of older people. He won't buy property from parishoners, but he's bought cars from older friends when they're giving up driving. He only pays about $3000 for his cars, doesn't worry about what they look like, then when they're beyond repair sells them for parts. But usually these are great cars, maybe not sexy, but cheap.
He owns rental real estate as well.
I haven't seen him often enough to get all the details, but I'm fascinated and pretty impressed.
