On Retirement

Some people have this romantic, misguided notion that they look forward to their entire life.  It may be that you never have to set your alarm clock anymore or perhaps it is spending every waking minute on the golf course.  This thing we call retirement is the most misunderstood part of life.  Some people actually fear it and wouldn't know what to do with themselves.  Others think that when you retire death is the next step, so if they keep on working they will live forever.  There are many distorted views and this idea of retirement has evolved in recent years.

First of all, people are living longer and can spend thirty years or more in this stage of life.  So it is imperative that you be financially prepared for the long haul.  Assuming that you have taken the necessary provisions financially, how then will you spend the rest of your life?  My father was content to just read, watch TV, cook, and occasionally visit some friends and family until they all started to disappear for one reason or another.  He was lucky to have the company of my mother for all of those years, others don't have that luxury.  Was he enjoying his retirement?  I don't think it ever crossed his mind, he just was content with the simple joys of life.  In many ways I envy him.  Today, I think people want more out of life.  Maybe you look forward to travel, but how many weeks can you do that?  How many games of golf can you play before it becomes mundane?  There's got to be something more sustaining and that's what we must figure out!

For me, the meaning of life is to have a life of meaning.  To have purpose, to feel worthwhile, to still feel like you can contribute something to society is very important for your mental well-being.  So it is vital for us, the baby boomer generation, to envision something more for this stage of life.  Retirees have so much to offer the younger generations for we have lived through so much and have gained so much knowledge through experience.  It would be such a waste to let all of that life experience die on the vine.  We need to be writing about it, mentoring young people who are lost in many cases, and we need to become activists making this world a better place to live in.  Retirees are the most under-used natural resource we have in this country!

Retirement can also be a very enriching time in your life.  Auditing courses at the local university is a wonderful way to learn, without the pressure to achieve a certain grade.  Learning for the sake of learning is a wonderful thing and you will find that you have much to contribute to these classes.  Professors are grateful to have a senior citizen in their class as a resource person who can share their life experiences with young college students.  Most universities today have courses run by retirees for retirees purely for the purpose of enrichment.

  Retirees can also be helpful at every level of our public schools today.  Employing seniors to work in the schools as tutors, teacher assistants, or lending guidance to children who just need an adult in their life can be very productive and fulfilling at the same time. The same can be done in business.  Young people who come out of school would love to have a guardian angel come in once a week who is non-threatening and guide them through the first year of working in the real world.  It wouldn't cost much and productivity would increase dramatically if young people had the benefit of forty years of experience to show them the way.

There is much to be done and it seems to be a win-win situation to tap into this under-utilized resource.  I'm sure retirees would love to still be part of society and recognized for still having value.  Of course, you must still leave time for golf, travel, and the other fun stuff that we all deserve after a lifetime of work.  Retirement is a time to share what you have learned so that it will benefit the upcoming generations.  It is a new way of looking at senior citizens, unlike the curmudgeon image that is purported in the media.  We need to show respect to our elders and make them feel worthwhile which, in turn, will make them feel good about themselves.  It is the right thing to do for everyone concerned, now more than ever.  Wake up, America!