Friday, October 11, 2019

Some Days

Some days life is hard, some days I feel like I am being scavenged for parts, some days I feel like I am locked in place - unable to escape.  I had a weird dream one night recently, in the dream I was working intensely in my office, I looked up and someone had taped a note to my computer monitor, that read  in block type on a plain white paper, "Run, you moron!" (Or was it "Run you fool!"?) 

Don't get me wrong, I have a good job, my boss challenges me, but allows me a lot of freedom, I am able to work on issues that I believe in, I do think we are making a difference, but when my time to go arrives, I will be out the door.  

A colleague who retired a couple of years ago and still chairs a couple of committees and was in the office the other day, looking all tanned and relaxed (the relaxed part being new.) When he left I looked at my boss and said, "Bob is proof that there is life after this job."  Then I added, "46 months." The boss looked a little stunned, he said he still enjoys his work and has never really drawn a line in the sand.  I also find my work rewarding, but I have set a target date, August 1, 2023. 

At one time I thought I would work until they found me decomposing at my desk. Over time I have come to understand there are things I want to do, that being tied to the office make it difficult for me to do. The longer I am locked to the job, the more opportunities to go or do that pass by, never to return. I am well paid, it will be hard to walk away from the money (and no I don't have a large guaranteed pension,) but I have also calculated that we will have enough income to live comfortably, and everything we own is paid for.  Happiness or worth in life is not measured by who dies with the most money (or the most toys.) 

My parents should have spent more of their savings.  They lived on the income for 30+ years, but the principle actually grew most of that time. Only in the last couple of years of their lives when they were too sick to really enjoy it, did they dip into savings.  As my father proved you can't take it with you - and a month after he died I cancelled his credit card (a family member was still using it to order things on Amazon- or maybe it was him?) 

Some days, I think I should work until I drop, there is so much to do, but most days I think it is time to turn this over to the next generation.  To build them up, load them with skills, knowledge and a sense of purpose, and quietly fade away.  Some days, I get frustrated with the slowness of progress and wonder if I am part of the solution, or part of the problem.  

What one thing do you want to do in retirement that you can't (or couldn't) do while working?  
    

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous10/11/2019

    My list is endless and now I am retired, I have ticked a few things off but there are many more to go. Even though I am inclined to be an early morning person one of the best things is not having an alarm going off at 4.30 or 5.00 and having longer showers. It is hard call with money once you retire. You want to make sure you have enough to last you, but not leave so much behind for others? Now if we knew the date of our death, that would make it so much easier, but who really wants to know that.

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    1. I look forward to longer showers, not riding the subway at rush hour.

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  2. More time and volunteering with animals and sanctuaries. My dream would be to retire and go do work on a elephant or giraffe preserve.

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  3. I LOVE RETIREMENT! Every second of every minute of every hour of every day . . . you get the drift. Since retiring two years ago, I have taken up tai chi and art, things I never had time for while working and consciously put on the back burner until retirement. I'm also learning bridge, which is a very tough new challenge.

    Retirement is our reward for decades of putting up with the rat race. Don't let yourself be cheated of any of it. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! You've earned it.

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  4. Replies
    1. Been there done it all, never been there so no change, been there done that?

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  5. NEVER retiring; I like my job. keeps me brain fresh!

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  6. I wouldn't have known how to answer that question before I retired. But, now that I am retired, the answer would have to be "like myself." I like myself much more since I stopped working and competing and defending and tolerating and wanting more and needing more. Jerry paid off his mother's credit cards after she died. Six months later, new charges arrived. She was still shopping at her favorite department store! (Really, she had bought Christmas gifts on the buy now pay later plan).

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    Replies
    1. I am hoping we start desiring less.

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