Sky, your pool of friends in flying must be limited to the ones that never made it. I personally know 5 that have retired in the last 3 years. Not one is working another job. So I am not sure what you define as retirement, but they seam to be doing well. All have homes and one or more: hangars, airplanes, second homes, motorhomes etc.

I can fully apreciate where you come from letting people know about the pit falls that lie in aviation. However you cannot discount all the people that have made it. Do more people quit before they make it? Maybe. Do you make it with out ever trying? Not a chance.

You tried, and flying didn't live up to its end of the bargin (for you). But you would have never known had you not taken that chance. At least be honest with people and admit that. Better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved all.