Retired?

The word makes me feel tired.

My father was retired at 65, “not by choice, but because I have to”, he said. He was a successful university professor teaching metal work, drafting and machine shop for 30 years. New rulings required ‘out with the old and in with the new’ hoping to save the schools money along the way.

How sad I thought…getting rid of experience and knowledge that could have been transferred to another, but now the new teachers would have to learn everything again on their own, mistakes included.

Fortunately mom had enough projects stored up that dad never had a dull moment of retirement, but really….far too many older ones evaporate into retirement taking their skills, interactions and life with them that should have been magnified to the younger to help them develop and succeed.

How many of our older population have suffered a void from unneededness contributing to their lack of motivation, lethargy and ill health?

Do people look forward to retirement for freedom – to do what they always wanted to do…but couldn’t… because of the 9-5 grind?

Yet there has been a great shift in our country…many of the following generations don’t want that lifestyle. They see their time, life and family as far more important, and are thinking and designing different paths of living for them and their kids. I think it’s great!

So I say to the younger generations, those getting started and with young families… keep inventing, keep trying new things, do not hesitate to ‘do different’. We need what you do, what you think, what you bring to our world. So many, many, many of you are doing things unthought of before…untried. Keep up the good work!

We don’t need any more people retiring into oblivion, we need all good thoughts, all good ideas, all good hands on board.