This YouTube interview ("The Fulfilled Life After Decades of Shaping Minds", uploaded Feb 7, 2024 by Stacey Lauren) features Speaker B, a retired teacher of 36 years, describing a retirement dream fulfilled: a 21‑day European holiday (14 days on land + 7 days aboard the MSC Grandiosa) visiting 10 countries paid for by their children as a retirement gift. Speaker B credits education and hard work for their children’s success (one son is a CA, CFA and investment banker at Barclays; the other is an accountant) and describes joy in reliving parenthood with two grandsons (ages six and one). The tone is grateful and reflective, with messages aimed at young people about perseverance and faith.
Questions this video answers
36 years.
21 days (14 days on land + 7 days on the MSC Grandiosa).
10 countries.
CA, CFA, and an investment banker at Barclays.
Accountant.
So my first question is, and I think I know the answer, but I'd love to hear it again, is what is something you've done recently that you're really proud of?
Well, my dream has become a reality. As a teacher for 36 years, I worked hard and I educated my children. Today, I am reaping the benefits of my children. In fact, that was the best investment made. It's paying the dividends now with this holiday, a 21 day holiday, 14 days on land here in Europe, with seven days on the MSC, the Grandiosa. So visiting 10 countries is definitely a dream come true for me and my husband. So this is our retirement gift.
Your retirement gift. Get from your children.
Children, yes, Both my boys, the little one who's a CA, CFA and an investment banker at Barclays, bought the tickets for the trip and the big one, who's an accountant, paid for my clothes, all the winter clothes, and for the spending. So we haven't spent a cent. So when you hear people say, do you think dreams become realities? I can say, yes, it definitely does. You just have to have faith and wait your turn.
I like that. Have faith and wait to turn. What do you think helped you reach this dream that you had?
Well, like I said, for me, education played a very major role because as an educator myself, I wanted the best education for my kids. They went to school, I helped them go that little further. You got to go that extra mile. You got to work hard and hard work. I always told my kids and the children at school, hard work always pay dividends. And if you work hard, you will definitely achieve. But you've got to put in that extra effort and things will slowly work itself out. But you have to have faith. You got to wait your turn. You can't rush it. You can't say. My boys didn't say as soon as they got their degrees that the following year they're going to start earning. No, if they started earning, they had to work hard, make a difference. My big son, just last month when they had the official year end party, was surprised with a special award for going that extra mile. So if you work hard, a message to all young kids and young adults, you can't chase after that dream, but you've got to do your work, you have to work hard and you definitely will achieve. There's a time for everything.
So good. And what's something you're looking forward to now that you've reached this dream?
What is something? I've got two little grandkids who are similar ages as I had my kids. So I'm reliving my children's life then with the kids, with my grandkids today, but in a better position because I'm more educated as a mum. I have more experience as a mum, so I'm using the experience of the mum for my grandkids. And what I felt worked then. I'm trying now again, but obviously with more knowledge because I've been there, I've done it, and now I'm working with my kids. So I have two grandkids, both boys, just like my boys. One six, going on to grade one next year. So he starts his schooling career and the baby is one year old. So everywhere. Yesterday I went especially to Disney World to buy toys. The big one wanted Spider man. And I went into the training center. I asked which hero was there, so they said no. Every hour there's a different hero. So I said, it's fine. I'll see whichever hero is there. And believe you me, another dream became a reality. When I went into the room where the hero was, it was Spider Man. And he stood there taking out photos with me, which I cleaned already. I have the photograph. And I bought a Spider man for the big one and a T shirt for the little one.
Oh, so beautiful.
So dreams every day is becoming a reality right now.
And what do you think? Besides you having been there, done that with your kids, and now getting to relive that with your grandkids, what do.
You think will help you reach that.
Goal of being there?
Because I have experience now. Previously, it was working with the unknown. When I was a mom, every day was a new experience. But 25, almost 35 years later, it's like, I've been there, I've worked with it. This way, if it didn't work, then I must try something else. That's how life is. You try one thing and it's better to try and fail than to fail to try. So whatever I've done and if I'm now reassessing, I'm having a look at it a second time. And if I feel it didn't work yet, I've got to try something new, something different to make it work. Beautiful. Thank you so much. Thank you for asking me to be here.
