"We Retire From a Job, Not From Life"

Jude, at Dr. Sock Writes Here, wrote the words above as part of her response to a comment I had left on her blog. It really jumped off the page as an important point to emphasize. Especially this year of all years, when everything seems to have been upended, tossed by winds of uncertainty, and mixed with political insanity, we need to remind ourselves of the basic truth Jude states so simply.

Many of us work for several years to set ourselves on a particular career path. It may turn out to be a little convoluted and twisty with occasional false starts and cul-de-sacs. But, there is a method to our madness. We find our footing and spend the next several decades, making our mark, making money, and planning for our future.

Then, at some point, all of that effort and dedication comes to an end. Either perfectly planned or thrust upon us by the fickle finger of fate, what has defined us since our 20's, is no more. The relationships made on the job wind down. The order to our days and weeks is upended. The paycheck or commission that made life possible stops.

We are adrift on a sea we don't quite know how to navigate. We are on a journey with no clearcut direction or markers. Probably for the first time since we were three or four years old, our day-to-day schedule is our own; we must decide how to spend the time between waking and sleeping. It can be somewhat overwhelming.

Suddenly, like the sun breaking through a heavy overcast, we see a way forward. The trail appears before us. Not paved, certainly with rocks and slippery spots, but still a definite direction we start to follow. The retirement journey begins in earnest.

That is when Jude's "we retire from a job, not life" really hits us. The realization that all those years of work, those years dedicated to building something, those years of often putting others' requirements or demands first, have ended. Responsibilities continue, but they are duties we choose to fulfill. 

I have written about this startling shift in a life's direction hundreds of times. But, I am still excited to share the truth of the absolute freedom, openness, opportunities, and control that leaving the world of work in your rearview mirror creates.

If you are not convinced, spend just a little while looking at some of the comments left on many of the posts on Satisfying Retirement. The enthusiasm, welcoming growth with open arms, the sense of burdens lifted off one's shoulders, and the unleashed creativity are quite obvious.

Especially this year, we need to remind ourselves of how blessed we are to enjoy this time of life. I realize we are in the minority; billions struggle to feed themselves or find clean water. Through no fault of their own, millions of fellow citizens in this country find themselves in a financial mess or battling an illness that seemed to come out of nowhere and knows no boundaries.

Anything we can personally do to make some of these dreadful circumstances better for others should be near the top of our list. As the quote that started this post makes clear: we do not retire from life or the necessity of helping others. With time and energy under our command, we can do something to help.

Retirement is a privilege that requires us to fully embrace the possibilities and the power of our status. It is not a time of life to mourn what was, but to open our arms to what can be.