Should Retirement Be Your Goal?

I’m not sure retirement is a worthwhile goal - or realistic. For a few weeks now I’ve been trying to plan a “getaway” trip. It’s a daunting task sorting through calendars to find dates that don’t conflict with prior obligations. More than once I’ve grown weary with it and blurted out, “Forget it. It’s not worth the effort.”

And I’m just trying to plan a trip that won’t last a week! How in the world could I possibly plan for a time period longer than that? I’m certain retirement planning involves a longer time span than a week.

The question, “Should retirement be your goal?” is a worthwhile question - and hardly new. For years I’ve wondered why so many people waste their present in hopes that tomorrow will be better.

The guy who works for 30 years and can’t wait until retirement suddenly finds himself with nothing to do. Financially he may have prepared for retirement, but he’s got no interests, no purpose and lots of free time. It can make for a lonely existence.

Whine as we might - about work - being busy and staying busy is a good thing. Sure, we all need to recharge periodically. But the chase invigorates me. Doing something of value isn’t limited to affairs of business, but a sense of accomplish often eludes retirees who stop working and stop contributing. Sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away is a nice thought - but it would kill most of us if we had nothing more to do.

Retirement isn’t my goal. Maintaining health - mentally and physically - so I can contribute as much as possible for as long as possible, that’s my goal! I fully expect to improve myself so I can be a person worth paying for as long as possible.

Sadly, the retirees I know often do the least even though they have the most time. It’s a true adage that if you want something done, give it to a busy person. Try asking a retired person to do something. I haven’t found it very successful. They’re accustomed to doing nothing and it never gets done. Ask the man who is working and has a houseful of kids and he’ll find a way to get it done because that’s the nature of how he behaves everyday. He has learned he must find a way to get it all done. He has little choice.

I’d much prefer to be busy, working hard to find time to peel away for a few days than to be sitting idle with no agenda or schedule. So, I’ll keep planning my trip and Lord willing, sometime in October we’ll bug out of town for a bit - and soak up some leisure time and different scenery. Then, I’ll come back to work geared up to do it again until I sense my sanity slipping - then I’ll plan another trip or some more time off. And in between those times, I’ll have as much fun as I can. I’ll laugh a lot. I’ll whine a little. I’ll cry a bit. And I’ll be thankful that all is as well with me as it is. And it really is.