Life Begins at Retirement.
by Gordon Kinghorn
I have now officially retired – with effect this morning, I have decided to call-it-a-day… for good! I’ve been with the military for over 35 years, served in numerous countries and pretty much seen-it-all…well, that depends pretty much how one defines ‘All’ I guess.
Nevertheless, having now completed sixty-one summers on Mother Earth, it dawned on me just recently that each of us receive an allocation or ration as to the amount of years that we shall inhabit this planet or ours – that’s what we know for certain, the tricky part is gauging just how many more years are to be afforded to us before the Grim Reaper comes-a-calling.
What can one truly accomplish as a 60+ employee? Little in comparison to what you can achieve as a free and independent lover of life. At our age, we have each put in a pretty good shift, to pursue further the drudgery of the workplace environment, invariably rubbing shoulders with those much younger, with different ideals, virtues and tastes is preposterous.
Get out when you can, make the most of whatever resources you have accrued and prepare to enter a new phase of your existence. If you consider yourself to be an introvert then shake off the shackles of this reprehensible state of grace and get active. Find a sport or pastime where others are involved, renew yourself and think of yourself only, you have provided more than enough over the course of a lifetime for offspring, ailing relations and/or myopic and unfeeling employers.
Never consider yourself too old for anything, from a game of squash to the game of love – get a piece of the action, after all, many of you have dwelt about retiring possibly in your mid to late sixties as possibly the right time to quit – if, like me you are indeed younger, then you have vital time on your side to get the very best out of your ration.
Do not make a promise to yourself that you shall think about the prospect of retirement possibly next year of the year after – promises after all are little more than insincere pledges to the foolish or gullible.
You are neither foolish or gullible, if the alarm clock has become more of an irritation than a signal, if the drive to work is becoming increasingly longer - or if the kid at the next desk talks endlessly and incessantly on issues pertaining to teenage trivia – you are quite entitled to vigorously and speedily secure your liberty by the most effective means – a simple two-worded letter to whatever “Glorious Fuhrer" has been abusing your talents over the years – e.g., “I Quit!"
Your courage and commitment at this particular juncture of life will bring a renaissance and effervescence you would have never thought possible before reading my lines and those of many others on this subject.
Far East here I come, never to return, any eager lady wishing to keep me company, don't hesitate to get in touch.
© 2012 - Gordon G Kinghorn
