The Retirement Cafe - Letters from the Happily Retired

How to Retire, Happy, Wild, and Free

By Ernie J. Zelinski

Retirement Letters from the Retired - Image

Following are some of the most interesting retirement letters and sample farewell letters for retirement about How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free since the first American and Canadian editions of The World's Best Retirement Book were published.

These retirement letters provide an excellent source of content about how many individuals become happily retired.

How to Retire, Happy, Wild, and Free

Another sort of letter of intent to retire: This is the latest e-mail sent to the author of The World's Best Retirement Book:

----- Original Message -----
From: Ted L Wilson
To: vip-books ( at ) telus.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 7:26 AM
Subject: How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free

Dear Ernie,

Just finished your book and I couldn't agree more with you! I took early retirement at 55 with a minimum pension and depended on the savings I had from my 401K as the primary source of income. I also now work 125 days a week for one of my former retailer customers and I work in sales. I get to pick my 125 days a year that I work and take most of the winter off and travel to Florida and long four day weekends all of the summer where, we spend our time at our small lake cottage. The primary reason I continue to work half time is for the benefit of health insurance. I am privileged that my employer agreed to provide health insurance if I would work 125 days a year.

I have to tell you that I really enjoyed the section in your book about taking risks. When I first retired I made it my goal to bicycle accross the USA from coast to coast. I divided the USA into three chunks and took three-three week periods in the summer to bicycle from coast to coast (Astoria Oregon to Camden Maine.)

I met so many great people in this country, it helped to restore my faith in humanity. The final motivation to push me forward on my goal of crossing the USA via bicycle was an 84-year-old friend of mine who said to me that he retired early at 50 and has not regretted a day of his early retirement. He challenged me to not be a member of the "Wish I would-a club" but be a member of the "I did it club".

I used this to encourage me to take early retirement and to take the bicycle trip. Since I have retired I have had the privilege of taking fly in fishing trips in Canada, South Dakota and Iowa pheasant hunting trips, spending three winter months in Florida since my retirement. Watching the sunsets over several of the Great Lakes, Cruises in the Caribbean, week long bicycle trips across five different states with my wife. Took two classes in a local University-fiction and nonfiction writing, and have written 7 articles and have 5 published. I would like to write more but just have to take the time to do so.

The thing I have to say I enjoy the most is that I take every Friday and spend it with my grandchildren.

Thanks for your book and I can't wait to read Career Success Without a Real Job.

Happily Retired,

Ted Wilson

Letter Retirement Sample about Retirement Books

A Retirement Letter Comparing The World's Best Retirement Book to the Bible

This retirement letter via e-mail was sent to me on August 2, 2008 by Richard Thibeault of Pointe Claire, Quebec.

Dear Ernie:

I have just finished reading your book How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free for the second time.

It was recommended to me by a coworker who retired a couple of years
ago, since I also hope to retire as soon as possible.

I must say that considering the subject matter of your book I didn't
expect to find so much more than instructions or suggestions on how
to approach retirement.

Next to the Bible it may be the most inspiring book I have read.

I read a lot and I usually highlight passages that I find inspiring
and wise. Well this book has more colour and scribbled notes in it
than any other.

I also love the way you share some of your reader's letters and comments
and as you seem to appreciate them which is also why I've decided
to write you this note. I hope to put in practice much of what I've
learned from your book and read others as I enjoy the way you write
as well.

At the very end of the book you wrote, and I wrote at the bottom of
that last page.

Of course you have given me many good ideas and one of them is writing.
I have always had a desire to write more and hopefully get something
published one day (many false starts so far) but haven't yet found
that I have sufficient material or inspiration to be able to complete
anything worthwhile.

Anyway I look forward to read more from you - even this book for a third
time possibly.

Thank You and God Bless.

RICHARD THIBEAULT (Pointe Claire, Quebec).