The Final Stretch

 

THE FINAL STRETCH
Written by Pam Erwin Moreton, with comments from Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown
May 26, 2026

DISCLAIMER: Normally I write the Nuggets I post but sometimes I post what other people have written, and this is one of those occasions. I can only wish I had written what Ms. Moreton posted on her Facebook feed; it is outstanding and very much, ON POINT! Read it and decide for yourself! I have included my own thoughts at the very end of her article.  Please, read on!

Written by Pam Erwin Moreton

“When I turned 63 last year (64 in March) I sat in my favorite chair, looked back at my life, and thought to myself.

“So… this is the beginning of the final stretch.”
And slowly, the truths I had avoided all my life began to surface.
Kids? They’re busy writing their own story.
Health? Slips away faster than sand through open fingers.
The government? Just headlines, promises, and numbers that never change your daily reality.
Aging doesn’t hurt your body first — it hurts your illusions.
So, I sat down with myself and carved out a handful of bitter but necessary truths.

Kids don’t save you from loneliness.
Children grow, life pulls them in every direction, and you become a memory they visit when time allows.
You smile… and yet something inside you remains strangely hollow.
Kids bring joy — but they are not a shield against loneliness. 

Health is not forever. 

One day, the outings you once jumped into with enthusiasm feel like a marathon.
You realize health was never a background character —
it was the main pillar holding your life steady.

Retirement and money 

Retirement is not a reward — it’s a reality check.
Depending on the system is like standing on thin ice.
Bills grow, needs grow, prices grow… but support doesn't.
So, I rebuilt my life on new rules — honest, sharp, practical rules for living with dignity. 

Rule 1: Money is more reliable than anything else.

Love your kids, cherish them —
but don’t make them your retirement plan.
Save for yourself.
Even small savings create big freedom.
Financial independence is dignity. 

Rule 2: Your health is your real job.

Nothing else matters if your body refuses to cooperate.
Move. Walk. Stretch.
Guard your sleep like treasure.
Eat cleaner. Reduce the poison disguised as sugar and salt.
Illness doesn’t discriminate,
but it respects those who take responsibility for themselves. 

Rule 3: Create your own joy.

Waiting for others to make you happy is the fastest way to heartbreak.
So, you learn to enjoy the small things —
a peaceful breakfast, a good book, music that warms the soul.
When you know how to make yourself happy, loneliness loses its power. 

Rule 4: Aging is not an excuse to become helpless.

Some people turn aging into a performance of complaints.
And slowly, even those who love them start stepping away.
Strength is attractive.
Resilience is magnetic.
People respect the ones who stay capable, not the ones who surrender. 

Rule 5: Let go of the past.

The good old days were beautiful — yes.
But they’re gone, and there is no return ticket.
Clinging to the past steals the present.
Life today may look different, but it still holds moments worth living.

Rule 6: Protect your peace like it’s your property.

Not every argument needs your voice.
Not every insult needs your response.
Not every relative deserves access to your emotions.
Peace is expensive.
Protect it from drama, negativity, and draining people —
even if they're your close ones. 

Rule 7: Keep learning something — anything.

The day you stop learning is the day you start aging.
A new recipe, a new word, a new app, a new hobby —
your brain needs movement just like your body does.
Learning keeps you young.
Stagnation makes you old. 

Strength and freedom still belong to you.

Aging is an exam no one can take for you.
You can adapt, rebuild, and rise stronger…
or sit back, complain, and wait for someone to rescue you.
And if ....
No one comes to rescue you ....
Stand up for yourself ...
Because you still can…
And that single truth is enough to transform the rest of your life.” 

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As stated in the Disclaimer, I can only have wished that I wrote what Ms. Moreton has written; it is outstanding! For readers of my Nuggets, they know that I cannot help myself because I want to add to something even as good as the above information is and this is no exception. 

I turned 81 in 2026, and I can attest that what Ms. Moreton writes about is so true. For me, that would have been over TWENTY years ago and the items she puts forth only increase over time. 

The one item NOT itemized is that I believe that you must acknowledge and plan for the fact that you will live into your 70s, 80s and even 90s. Therefore, it is my opinion that everyone ought to work to eliminate all debt that can be eliminated as soon as possible. I am NOT a financial advisor. I just know that being debt free is more calming than being in debt!  Worrying about how you are going to pay your bills when the income suddenly becomes less than what you have thought would never end, can be hazardous to your physical health AND your mental health. Home loans, car loans, student loans, needless credit card debt should be paid off ASAP! I learned this lesson late in life thanks to one simple sentence by Gary Keller, co-founder of Keller Williams Realty International. "Lead with REVENUES, NOT with EXPENSES!" Keller would also say if you cannot pay cash for something, don't buy it unless you absolutely MUST buy it, which is rarely the case.  Required dental work would be such an example; something you cannot put off!  A GREAT tip comes from Joe Tye who coined the phrase, DDQ, Direction-Deflection-Question. It is simple and works almost every time it is used. Ask and answer the question. “If I buy this, will it lead to my goal of being financially independent?” If yes, buy it, If NO, don't!  I used this principle to lose weight.  “If I eat or drink this item, will it lead to me achieving my desired weight of ____?”  If yes, eat or drink it.  If not, do not!

LOUISIANA ELECTION DAY! MAY 16, 2026

LOUISIANA ELECTION DAY!  MAY 16, 2026
Written by A. G. Crowe, annotated by Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown, May 15, 2026

THIS NUGGET APPLIES TO EVERYONE ACROSS AMERICA, NOT JUST IN
SLIDELL, LOUISIANA. THE PLEDGE TO PAY FOR A FULL PAGE AD ONLY APPLIES TO THE SLIDELL AREA FOLKS, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

PERSONAL DISCLAIMER: I have been writing and posting Nuggets on this blog since 2008. I have been writing Nuggets since the early 1990s and have written more than 1000 of them most were originally written by me. The ones NOT posted where lost due to a computer failure. Occasionally I would post a Nugget (article) written by someone else which the case for this Nugget. It was written by a former Louisiana State Senator and friend, A. G. Crowe and it is a good one with Saturday, May 16 being primary election day in Louisiana. Sadly, this being an election date NOT involving a President of the United States, about 3 out of ever 10 Louisiana voters will be voting on Saturday. For the record, my wife and I already voted via absentee ballot. What that means is that 70% of eligible Louisiana voters will be deciding who our next U. S. Senator from Louisiana will be. As a disabled veteran, I find that deplorable and disgusting that so few people actually seem to care but then will be so quick to complain. With all that said, the following is the article by A. G. Crowe!

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE CITIZENS/VOTERS OF SLIDELL

(From the “Someone has to stand up and say something Department!”)

A.G. Crowe, Former Louisiana State Senator

5-9-26

People typically choose a political party based on the values and beliefs they identify with. Likewise, they usually vote for the candidates they believe best represent those same values.

Slidell is widely known as a conservative city with strong traditional values. The majority of its voters identify as Republicans because they believe the Republican Party more closely reflects those values and principles. Certainly, there are conservatives in other parties, but it is important to remember what many Republicans believe their party stands for and why those beliefs matter to them locally here in Slidell.

Many conservatives point to several national issues that directly impact Slidell.

• Border Security: WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH US HERE IN SLIDELL? Republicans argue that Democratic border policies allowed millions of illegal immigrants into the country, creating concerns about public safety, a strain on our local resources, and future political influence or votes. Illegal immigrants ARE showing up at our local Slidell hospitals and ARE enrolled in our public schools utilizing resources that are supposed to be reserved for citizens . WE are paying for that. Is that fair? What party is responsible for this problem? The Democrats and their open border policy, disguised as the “humane thing to do” but really designed to get more votes. Is that appropriate, especially when millions of people are legally in line waiting to come into the US the right way? Many residents believe immigration enforcement should be strengthened, including cooperation between local law enforcement and federal agencies through programs such as 287(g). ICE WORK IS STILL ON-GOING HERE LOCALLY. WILL A DEMOCRAT ELECTED IN SLIDELL OPENLY & CONSISTENTLY ENDORSE 287(g) ENCOURAGING SLIDELL POLICE TO WORK WITH ICE TO GET RID OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL OFFENDERS OR BE PRESSURED BY THE PARTY TO DO WHAT THEY DEMAND?

• Support for Law Enforcement: Conservatives often criticize “defund the police” movements led by Democrats and believe law enforcement agencies should be fully supported, funded, and respected. Many voters deserve to know whether local elected officials will strongly support the Slidell Police Department and public safety initiatives.

• Government Shutdowns and Political Conflict: Many conservatives believe Democrats have used government funding battles and political gridlock as leverage against President Trump and Republican policies, creating disruptions that affect everyday people right here in Slidell. REMEMBER THE LINES AT THE AIRPORT? WE CAN THANK THE DEMOCRATS.

• Political Violence: Democrats' aggressive anti-Trump rhetoric is inspiring unstable individuals to commit acts of violence. DO WE WANT TO BREATH LIFE IN TO THE PEOPLE THAT RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED AT THE MAYOR'S PRAYER BREAKFAST RIGHT HERE IN SLIDELL? DEMOCRATS FUELED THESE CONFLICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND RIGHT HERE IN SLIDELL! POLITICAL RHETORIC SPEWED NATIONALLY IS HEARD BY LOTS OF PEOPLE EVERYDAY RIGHT HERE IN SLIDELL.

LET’S BE HONEST.

EVERY LOCAL ELECTION MATTERS AND PARTY AFFILIATION MATTERS. PARTY LABELS ARE THERE FOR A REASON. IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TELLING VOTERS WHAT YOU STAND FOR. IF YOU STAND FOR THE POLICIES OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY THAT BELIEVES IN TAKING THE LIVES OF INNOCENT BABIES, MARRIAGE OTHER THAN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN AND RACIAL GEREMANDERING FOR POLITICAL GAIN, THEN VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT.

Choosing a political party is a conscious decision. A candidate consciously chooses to identify with a party and the ideology that comes with it. Recently, a Democrat-appointed member of the library board voted against restricting age-inappropriate material in our Slidell library, material many parents believe could expose innocent children to pornographic content. Fortunately, enough conservative Republicans on the board voted in favor of restricting access to that material. IT WAS A DEMOCRAT THAT DID NOT WANT TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

And to those on the far left who have read this far........this is not about book banning or book burning. It is about protecting children from inappropriate content! Don’t use our innocent children to support your lies!

So why should anyone be surprised when elected officials act consistently with the party and ideology they chose to align themselves with? That, my friends, is a Democrat who will predictably function, at every opportunity, as a Democrat.

In today’s world, if you choose to be or vote for a Democrat, you are joining with the likes of Kamala Harris, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders, AOC, Gavin Newsom and Nancy Pelosi. Is that what we really want in our local leaders? WOULD THE CITZEN/VOTER OF SLIDELL ELECT SOMEONE WHO SHARES THE POLICIES AND BELIEFS OF THESE PEOPLE? I THINK NOT!

If you are a Democrat and proclaim that you DO NOT believe as your national party advocates, THEN CHANGE YOUR PARTY OR OPENLY DENOUNCE THEIR POLICIES! Millions of people all across our nation have already done so.

You can be the nicest, smartest, most popular and the most effective public servant on the planet but THESE ARE NOT THE REASONS TO VOTE FOR YOU. IT IS YOUR PARTY LABEL AND ITS POLICIES AND PLATFORM THAT IDENTIFIES YOU AND THE LABEL THAT YOU CHOSE TO PROUDLY WEAR.

Studies have consistently shown that local races can influence the direction, values, and priorities of the broader political system. Every elected office at any level counts!

No matter your political affiliation, study the issues carefully, ask candidates direct questions, and vote according to the values and principles you believe are best for Slidell, Louisiana, and the future of our country.

I will end with this pledge since there is still time to vote.

“If you are a Democrat candidate seeking any office in St. Tammany Parish and will publicly denounce the policies and direction of today’s Democrat Party and will sign an agreement to change your party affiliation from Democrat, I will personally pay for a full-page advertisement in the Slidell Independent endorsing your campaign.”