Rev. George R. Robie, D.Min., on the rest of my life

Retire or Not Retire?
That's the Dilemma

"What are you going to do with your life?” That question was posed to each of us in our adolescence, and the answer became a heavy matter for a young person trying to find his or her place in the world. The question is still relevant, especially for those of us on the other end of the age spectrum where retirement is already here or looms around the corner.

Let’s take a moment to dust off the old question and ask it again, but this time in the first person and add three words. “What am I going to do with the rest of my life”? Asking in the first person signifies a deep, abiding commitment, a stake if you will, in the ongoing search for meaning and purpose which doesn’t diminish as one grows older. The three words indicate that older people have a heightened awareness of their own mortality and how quickly time passes. Lest one be preoccupied with the notion that the grim reaper is lurking around the corner, it is said that persons retiring today may have on average twenty or thirty years of living ahead. Such a projection is reason enough for one to focus on quality of life rather than just quantity.

Quality is defined by individual preferences but influenced by economics. For instance, one prediction is that many of us will outlive our financial resources, making prospects for retirement less appealing. Turbulent stock markets, rising costs of energy, food, travel, and health care, as well as plummeting home values combined with tighter budgets and higher taxes make for unsettling times and sleepless nights. Dreams and wishes are put on the back burner as folks realize they can’t afford the lifestyle they want for themselves. And increasing numbers of seniors are buried under credit card debt. Furthermore, Suzanne McGee, writing for MSN Money, cites the work of psychologist and researcher Ken Dychtwald who interviewed 50,000 plus retirees. Dychtwald concluded about half of today’s retirees are quite miserable about their post-retirement lives.[1] One possible message emerging from this morass is that for some the reality of retirement pales in comparison to the hype. What’s a person to do?

One could choose the route of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s fictional character, Dr. Juvenal Urbino in Love in the Time of Cholera. “His eightieth birthday had been celebrated the year before with an official three day jubilee, and in his thank you speech he had once again resisted the temptation to retire. He had said,' I’ll have plenty of time to rest when I die, but this eventuality is not yet part of my plans.’”[2] The eventuality of Dr. Urbino arrived sooner than he expected; he was dead within a year.

Yes, working until the day of death is an option, that is, if you and I are content with post mortem rest. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with claiming the need for rest right now. After all, being a chaplain is demanding work with potential to take more out of a person than he or she has to give.

So one begins to think and question, to converse with self and others about ways to approach this time of life called the “golden years.” Some retirees balance part-time work either as a volunteer or paid employee on the one hand, with the desire to maintain degrees of freedom and flexibility on the other. Whatever choice one makes, it is clear that more than dollars and time management are involved. Health and wellness are essentials here as well as maintaining social and professional relationships and keeping mentally sharp. And finding a way to celebrate life on one’s own terms is an important, enduring value cherished by seniors.

One item missing from the equation is discussion about what I define as “Sense of Call” and how it fits into life planning as we age. A long time ago or perhaps not so long ago G_d, the divine, the higher power, the transcendent, the ultimate reality, what ever name you give to Him, Her or It, invited, challenged, dared, called you and me into ministry. That Sense of Call doesn’t turn off like a spigot just because one gets gray hair, goes on Medicare, or chooses to leave the work force. Consider rearticulating your Sense of Call. Have a frank conversation with G_d, the divine, the higher power, the transcendent, the ultimate reality, etc., in order to create an inventory of your gifts, talents, skills, health, and limitations. The task also involves consulting with friends, colleagues and those you love to determine what G_d wants you and me to do for the time being and where G_d wants you and me to be for the time being. Playing, resting, studying, volunteering, part-time employment, working until you drop, going into another line of work, or having no employment at all are some options senior citizens choose.

Wherever you and I land, may it be because we are proactive and invest ourselves in our own futures which means bringing to the arena a wealth of knowledge, years of experience, a personal journey of faith, and yes, we even bring our trifocals, orthotics, hearing aids and c-pap machines.

Footnotes:

[1] Suzanne McGee, "7 common retirement mistakes to avoid," MSN.Money: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/StockInvestingTrading/7CommonRetirementTrapsToAvoid.aspx

[2] Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988, 4.

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