I know sometimes we plan our retirement to be spent with our life's partner, scrimp and save so we can travel and spend a happy retirement together and right when the time comes to retire our partner passes away, I'm amazed how often I heard that story and it happens a lot. And I've heard how hard it is to pick up the pieces and carry on without your soul mate and having lost a couple of dear friends I can only imagine how hard it must be to think and wonder how it would have been IF, and sometimes I've heard something like I wish I could do that, go there, see that or next year, summer or sometime we'll do that. And I'm sorry if this has happened to you it is truly heartbreaking. And I know that it takes time to get over the hurt of the loss but it just goes to the point of don't put off your life, travel now, do it now, see it now, finish your education, play that instrument while you have your friend, you may not have that tomorrow, next week, next summer or next year.
I endorse everything you say. My husband and I planned to move to Malaysia on retirement, taking our motor yacht with us to the island of Langkawi, and there running a charter business taking tourists on fishing trips. Sadly my husband died aged 63, and our plans for our twilight years never came to be. Luckily, we had travelled a lot and done and seen more than most by the time he died, but I urge others not to put off any cherished plans they may have.
As a 5 year cancer survivor I agree and live every day to the fullest.