Saturday, 1 June 2019

A Memorial Trip down Memory Lane


A Memorial Trip down Memory Lane

There are many a times when I am sitting all alone, I just drift back to my teen days when I left   home for a foreign country not knowing anyone as such. Stayed with my relatives for a while but did not want them to feel that I would take them for granted on my journey of life and then end up having a bad taste in the mouth as Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.  Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.



The young days moved on well with a good career and family life.  Life moved on with ups and downs and children growing up and then of course a day came when they started leading their own lives. Then there came a turning point in my life when I lost my Soul Mate and then retirement caught up with me.  But the thought of having worked for 57 years and then not having anything to do would make me fell paralyzed. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. A great opportunity came my way so when in doubt, about my retired life, just decided to take the next small step and decided to start working again, as I had learnt quite a lot from life that it isn’t fair, but it's still good.  I wanted to do something different, stay inspired, stay informed, but use my skill set to do something for a nonprofit. Wanted to be able to talk to people, get to know people and learn something from another generation, these people may not need to work, but they desperately want to stay up-to-date and feel challenged.  When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer



There are views that I gathered from close friends about life after retirement.  Some professionals can't imagine not working after many years of having a commitment to their career.  Many times, family and friends may pressure a person into retirement because they feel their loved one has "earned the right to stop working." "They may not understand the desire to keep putting in the hours and have a purpose in life."  However, for reluctant retirees, work likely serves as a constant to fall back on and holds an individual accountable. Some simply don't know how not to work. Well I am one of them.



Many people have a large part of their identity and self-worth tied up in their jobs, leave the industry or office they love, it's only natural to want to find a new challenge. Let's say you have a certain skill set and you've been at the same job for over years. When you take your skill set somewhere else, it can be a breath of fresh air. You have a new group of people appreciating your talent and it can actually be a boost to your self-esteem. Your feelings of self-worth increases when you see how much people value what you bring to the table. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.  Over prepare, then go with the flow.



Very few people plan to retire and just do nothing. But many people overestimate how much time their hobbies will consume. They say they are going to go golfing and travel, but you can't do that all the time. How many times are you really going to get out on the golf course? Maybe once per week? What is the rest of your schedule going to look like? Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. Burn the candles; use the nice sheets; wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.



Oftentimes people who leave the workforce find that they not only miss the routine of having somewhere to be every morning, but also crave the physical exercise associated with climbing stairs, walking around the office or traveling to meetings and conferences.



I have seen a lot of friends / relatives who retire at 50 or 60 and have seen them age quickly. I did not want to be like that. I wanted to be active in my remaining older years. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.  Today's retirees are both concerned about and excited by their "longevity bonus”.



Fifty or 60 years ago, we went to school, worked, lived a few extra years and died. Now people are living comfortably to age 90, so have this whole extra life after we retire. People are asking themselves, 'What are we going to do with our longevity bonus?' Yes, we can travel and spend time with the grandkids, but also going to need money to live comfortably during that time.



Doctors recommend that retirees keep their minds active to avoid premature memory loss, the earlier a professional retires the sooner mental capacity can begin to decrease. According to the Center on Longevity at Stanford University, work plays a key role in keeping the mind functioning optimally.



Retirement often ushers in a slower pace, but it could prove too slow for some, it is cautioned. After many years of work, most individuals look forward to a shorter to-do list, less stress and more relaxation time. However, after the initial excitement of retirement wears off, some retirees, especially those without regular social or educational activities, could find themselves bored or lonely after having an empty schedule week after week. Going back to work in some capacity will allow retirees to once again feel challenged and socially engaged.  Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.





Final Word

Working after retirement can give you a sense of purpose, a connection to the community, and, of course, a nice paycheck. But it still pays to plan for retirement so you won’t have to work if you don’t want to – or if it becomes physically difficult to do so. And since most people stop working three to four years earlier than planned, it’s beneficial to ramp up your retirement savings now, especially during your early working years. Otherwise, you could face serious financial problems.

Are you retired and still working? What are your reasons?

So my Friends I feel one should never retire as I feel retiring is as good as dying.  I would rather work and then call it a day.





Parsan Narang

23rd May 2019

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