Two triggers came to me on the same day which made me suggest this topic for this week’s 2 on 1 Friday post. Please do go over to Shackman’s blog to see what he has to say on the same topic.
The first was this cartoon in one of the daily newspapers that I read every day.
Luckily for me, I did not have a son like Calvin to make me surly during my working days and in any case, those days were not like what they are today. We did not have to spend so much time commuting to and from work nor were we under the kind of pressures that today’s employees face in work situations.
The other was a WhatsApp message sending me this link to a post on Facebook.
Again, luckily for me, my old friends continue to be my friends and though the number is reducing there are still enough to keep my mind occupied with them as well as in reminiscing about the good old days.
Having started my working career at an unusual age of 16, by the time I had reached my mid forties, I had decided that I should retire by the age of fifty. This was so that I could see a lot of India and some parts of the world accompanied by my wife. For various reasons I was unable to retire at that age but was able to at the age of 52. Not bad, I thought but, life had other plans. Again due to various reasons, I was unable to implement the plan to travel and so was sort of drifting around when life intervened again and pulled be back into corporate life on three different occasions. I finally retired from corporate life at the age of 62. I did have some gaps between assignments during which I also underwent two major surgeries and tackled some major domestic issues.
For the past 14 years, I have lived a life of a retired old reprobate as so affectionately termed by my dear brother. I have not had any retirement blues as many of my friends have had though I did go through some difficult times being a full time care giver on two occasions since the retirement.
My retired life revolves around a lot of reading and a daily dose of solving crossword puzzles. This blissful existence is interspersed with reunions of various kinds about which I have blogged elsewhere, meetings with like minded reprobates in Pune where I live and visits to or from friends and family.
I am one of those blessed seniors who still has company at home in the form of his son and daughter in love plus two very affectionate dogs. To add spice to the life, two alley cats have also decided to adopt us and keep visiting us to ask for snacks at frequent intervals. Hardly ever a dull moment!
It helps that social media like Facebook and WhatsApp have brought many friends and family closer to me and so, I do not find myself at loose ends ever. The only exceptions are when due to public holidays, I do not get my daily dose of news papers and crossword puzzles when I have to depend on additional reading to pass the morning hours.
I am not quite “retired” and have difficulty with the word. Retired from what exactly? I feel quite engaged both with young people and some income earning of my own which keeps my brain active. Scrabble does too – on line. And designing knitting patterns and oh yes photography plus writing and activism for seniors in poverty.
Not a dull minute but still learning how to balance which is fine sometimes and so elusive at others.
XO
WWW
No, you are most decidedly not retired in the sense that I use the word. I wish that I could be like you though.
Amazing how life intervenes regardless of the plans we so diligently make. The trick is to make retirement as fun as possible which with the proper attitude is readily attainable.
Yes, if one’s attitude is positive, retirement can be a joyful experience indeed.
I retired at the age of 71 and have never regretted giving up paid work for a moment. I’m not one of those men identifying so much with their work that once they retire they don’t know what to do with themselves. Paid work was enjoyable but never more than a pleasant way of making money. Now I have plenty to do – checking Facebook, keeping up my blog, reading, gardening, walking, discussing politics with Jenny, listening to my favourite albums. I’m never bored for longer than about half an hour.
No, from your blog posts, it is obvious that you have enough to occupy you in your retired life and I congratulate you on that.
I’ve never “retired” in the sense of “stopping picking up a pay cheque”…
I was put in a position through ill health…it was a pretty quick happening when I think back on it. I tried once when things were looking less “ill” to restart via training BUT my history of illness just never even got me near a regular paycheck…
The new life, certainly not retirement at that point – was quite different to what I imaged (I’m not sure I had actually imaged a future…).
Then when I had some chance but “history” put me off edge…I finally admitted “nothing is going to change, except by my own devices”…
There have been many downers but each seems to find me learning how to cope and make any changes required. However, nothing ever gets achieved quickly. It took me around 3 years to a/ leave a volunteer job b/ move out of a ratty private rental house c/ understand a whole raft of personal things…
and officially I hadn’t even reach the retirement pension which is basically automatic other than the add-ons that one may need…
this automatic monetary happening, in many ways changed my life…and although I’m more time rich than wealthy, I’m pretty happy…
You are indeed a remarkable lady with a remarkable story and all the followers of your blog posts admire you for your tenacity and zest for living. My best wishes that you continue like that for long.
thanks
I’m still a way off from retirement. I’m thankful, though, that I have work that I (mostly) love. Glad you’re retirement is so fulfilling for you.
calvin just always makes me laugh! I have all of the books.
retirement saved my life. I had such malignant hypertension going on that I would have blown a gasket right there at my desk I suppose! I had no idea it was that bad. maybe that’s what they mean when they call it a silent killer.
I had 20 years in (plus many more from other jobs) but the state lets you retire with 20 years of service plus your age equaling 80. so at 60 I said goodbye! I dearly love retirement!
just this last year my blood pressure has finally returned to normal and is staying there! but I also have finally gotten serious about meditating. it’s helping in other ways too. and I’m so grateful. no crosswords for me but I’m still a happy camper!