WHAT IS RETIREMENT?

When I was a young boy the "old" men in my neighborhood would all retire at 60 or 62 years of age. They had spent a lifetime in factories, warehouses, or working outdoors. We lived in a cold northern city in the US, where the weather was unforgiving to workers using their bodies instead of their minds. With a pension, savings, and a small Social Security piece, these men could live comfortably with their wives. Things seemed much simpler back then, very black and white. Most of these men lived for up to 10 years. They hung around the neighborhood, the local bar or just stayed at home. That was their "retirement plan."

Here we are in 2020, a very different world than the one I grew up in, with many different options and expectations for life after career, right? There are a bunch of books on the subject, seminars, even podcasts, telling us how to have a great life after a lifetime of work. The problem is, no matter how many answers the experts provide, no one can tell us: how much money we will truly need for our particular situation, and nobody knows how long we will each live as we move through retirement. Although I continue to work, I am of "that age" where the R word comes into play. At the same time, I feel sharper than ever, interested in many different topics, as well as new directions for my time.

At the end of the day, we must create our own personal solution. No one can tell us what to do, or even how we will feel after 40-45 years of a career. I now realize, I want to work, but not at the work I have been doing for decades. I have things to offer and a number of ways to present them. I know I would also like to help young people. Although the world of work will be vastly different in the decades to come, most work will be around and for other people. Serving people is a wonderful, noble engagement. Know you can work full time, part-time, or as part of the "gig" economy. Know you can take your Social Security and work at the same time. The important thing to realize is that we each have options. Far more options than those old men I grew up around. Think through where you want to live, what needs that may exist in that community, and how you might become part of the solution. Retirement is what you want it to be. It is vital that you make the decisions that make sense to yourself & your family. It is vital that you decide.........