“We’ve always been the couple who wonders ‘what’s over the next hill?’.” There’s an appeal to discovering what’s on the other side for the Headworths. They might get to see something they’ve never seen, meet a new friend or find a river to float and fish. The Headworths have never been afraid of taking the road less traveled. In fact, they prefer it! They rarely drive the interstate while traveling. Taking the back roads gives them the opportunity to explore rural America, see how people live and discover hidden gems. It’s an adventure and they are up for it all…the challenge of chartering new territory and the reward of experience.
Seeing what’s on the other side…adventure, curiosity and even the challenge are all a part of the appeal. Kathy seems to be wired to swim upstream, to go against the ‘norm’. Out of highschool, she decided she’d enter the army. No one in her family or sphere of influence was in the service. In the mid ‘70’s, it was not a popular thing to do following the Vietnam war. And if those two facts did not make it unusual for her to enlist, it was also not common for females at that time. But why not? She wanted to experience something new on the other side of the “army hill.” There was nothing holding her back from a new adventure.
As a young man, Pablo found himself on his own at age 16 and ‘fishing’ for jobs to take care of himself. When he was asked what led him to join the army, he said, “I was hungry!” I think he meant literally and figuratively! He needed a job and he needed food…the army could give him both!
It was at Fort Carson, where both of them were stationed, that they met. They were in the same company and had the same group of friends. While Pablo could recall his fishing stories, time, place and details, he was unsure of when they moved from friends to dating. But never-the-less, he reeled her in through common interests and sharing his love of the outdoors and eventually they married in 1980. She obviously was a catch! This year, they celebrated 41 years of marriage.
After their service in the army, both of them landed in Gillette, Wyoming where they went to work for the oil fields at Halliburton Energy Services. Pablo’s career in the industry was 39 years and Kathy’s was 35.
Retirement is really just “expanded vacation” for these two. During their working careers in the oil industry, you’d find them on an outdoor excursion with any time off they had. Vacation time was limited while working and the Headworths always left feeling there was more to explore and untapped things still unseen. Retirement has really just expanded their adventure…given them that time they didn’t have before!
There’s probably not a river in the western states they haven’t met. While Kathy didn’t grow up camping, hunting or fishing, Pablo introduced her to the love of the outdoors. “If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” Pablo might agree with Doug Laron on this principle and prediction. “Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.” – Chuck Clark. Isn’t that right, Headworths?
While there may be a shortage of fishing poles if we all lived like the Headworths, there’d be an abundance of friends. Kathy and Pablo both agree that during the last 5 years of retirement, they have traveled the country and met really great people…friends from all over the country. “You have time to expand on things you didn’t have as much time for while working,” shares Kathy. Friendships are one of the “important things” that she and her husband find themselves investing their free time in as a retired couple.
Nothing makes us happier than to see our clients living a life aligned to what is truly important to them. Pablo and Kathy, thank you for your service and keep enjoying your “vacation”, your well-deserved retirement. We are happy for you!
*This story is not an endorsement or recommendation of Strategic Retirement Plans’ services and is for illustrative purposes only.
