Last Updated on October 31, 2017
So much time is spent upon the anticipation of some event in the distant future; or, perhaps merely tomorrow, next week, next year. Here is where we are; in the “now”, the immediacy of a life being lived. Human beings are peculiar, unique and devastatingly unaware to that extent; we give lip-service to the notion of attaining happiness, joy and the capacity to relish the precious gift of life, while all the while failing to embrace and embody the here of this moment.
Look at tourists visiting the various wonders of the universe; do they seem to enjoy the experience of viewing ancient relics or places where momentous events occurred? Or, are they busy trying to make sure that the video camera or the Smart Phone is capturing the smiles, the scenery and the attraction just beyond? How many videos of the same places exist in the world today, tucked away in the memory banks of a digital chip? What is the difference between the video chip stored in a personal Smart Phone as opposed to a professional movie that explores the identical tourist destination?
What is missing, of course, is the experience of the “here”. Thus, when asked the question, “So, did you go and visit the famous ruins of X?” The answer is too often, “Yes, and let me show you the video I took of X.” As opposed to: “Yes, and let me try and describe to you the beauty of X.” Anticipatory living is not necessarily a negation of living the “here” of one’s life, or even the “now”; but it comes close to missing out.
For the Federal employee or the U.S. Postal worker who suffers from a medical condition, such that the medical condition prevents the Federal or Postal employee from performing one or more of the essential elements of the Federal or Postal position, the need to file for Federal Disability Retirements benefits through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, whether the Federal or Postal employee is under FERS, CSRS or CSRS Offset, is precisely the “here” that one is trying to preserve, by securing a “tomorrow” worth fighting for.
It is the “here” of one’s medical condition, the “here” of one’s health, and the “here” of some semblance of financial security that is the whole point of a Federal Disability Retirement benefit. Yes, it is for tomorrow, and the process is a long, administrative headache that may not be approved until many tomorrows and another; but in the end, it is the “here” that is worth preserving, and the first step in securing a worthy tomorrow is by initiating the process of a Federal Disability Retirement application here and now.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire