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Retirement Sentiments."About Butler (with apologies to "About Schmidt")The final few weeks before retirement are a bit surreal. I wonder if I might awaken to find that I was dreaming, and that I’m only fifty, not sixty. Strange days indeed. I must be stoic, optimistic, and even cheerful. There are lots of practical things to attend to, interesting things to occupy my mind. So much to be grateful for, so much to look forward to. And all the while, being the diligent person I am it's business as usual, or is it? There are retirement letters to write, final emails to send and phone calls to make. It’s time to think about my retirement speech. Do I tell a retirement joke, or use a retirement quotation? I have several lunches to attend, hosted by soon to be former business contacts. Everybody congratulates me, says how great it’s been working with me. “It won’t be the same without you Greg.” I appreciate those sentiments. They all insist I stay in touch, and some of them say they envy me. I have the final retirement financial planning meeting with our pension provider and taxation advisor. The tax free lump sum, part of the pension arrangement, represents more cash than I’ve ever had in my life! Why wouldn’t I be cheerful? And I have the dream holiday to look forward to. That holiday will be unique because I won’t be checking my text messages or emails and there will be no reason to call the office. And best of all, when it over, I won’t be returning to hundreds of emails, voicemails and unopened post. Yes indeed, why wouldn’t I be cheerful! The final day arrives. I wonder when I’ll wear the suit again. It’s too formal for my future plans. I’ll not miss the tie. I hardly need the briefcase today, but I bring it anyway. The route to work is well established. I could almost drive it with my eyes closed, and it hasn’t changed much in 26 years. I remember the notorious Kinsale roundabout before they built the flyover, spaghetti junction we called it. I recall some days bringing my children to school, and if it rained the traffic slowed, and maybe I was under pressure to make that important 9 am meeting. And how I got impatient when they switched the radio from “Morning Ireland” to “Hits and Memories”. There were sunny mornings when I thought it would be nice to have the day off, and ... ...now I can have every day off. My office looks bare and already there are few traces of my presence there for 26 years. I have already removed all my photographs, certificates and testimonials. The walls will need repainting. My desk, which was always neat, is empty now. I have disposed of most of my files; they would be meaningless to my successor. In fact I had kept many of them beyond their usefulness to myself. And yet they were records of my life’s labour-trade negotiations, strategic plans, creative marketing ideas, budgets and accounts. I change my voicemail to announce that I am no longer with the company, “Please press 9 to return to the operator.” I redirect emails to my private email address or to the company address info@..., as applicable. Because I’m going to lunch with some close work colleagues, and meeting a larger group after work for drinks and snacks, we can avoid the formal farewell as I leave the office. “We’ll see you later at the pub, Greg. Be sure to send us a card and drop by after the holiday.” I switch off the lights for the last time, holding my emotions in check and I know that this is a scene I will run over in my mind in years to come. Stay in touch and subscribe to my monthly email newsletter, "Retirement Stories". It is full of new stories and tips on planning for and enjoying an active retirement. Subscribe Now.. Back from Retirement Stories: Follow The Yellow Brick Road to Retirement Sentiments Back from About Butler to Retirement Planning |
Recently Added StoriesAlso - Go to Retirement Sentiments - where you will find a full index of stories available on retirement-stories.com. The Bucket List: It's About Time! - You may have seen the movie "The Bucket List" - DO YOU have a Bucket List? ... Retirement? Never! - I love the sentiments expressed in this prize-winning Toastmasters' Speech ... About Butler - That last day at work ... after "About Schmidt" - the Jack Nicholson movie ... this funny and moving story takes a sobering look at retirement... Follow The Yellow Brick Road - In your transition to retirement, you may wonder if you have the resources you need for the new situation. The Wizard of OZ reminds you that sometimes you need look no further than your own backyard... The Road Not Taken - When you come to a fork in the road, how do you decide which way to go?.. The Mountain Kings of Africa - If you’re looking for retirement ideas, you might try an adventure holiday... Let's Go- “Do something you would LOVE to do, really WANT to do.” This was one of my prize winning Toastmasters speeches. I was 50 at the time of the adventure it describes... Christmas Eve, 1954 - Sometimes, we retirees get nostalgic as we look back with happiness and gratitude at “the way we were”. Many of the older “Baby Boomers” will have their own version of this story... Circle - One of the challenges you may face in mid-life is supporting aging parent(s). This story also deals with assisted living and senior living communities. .. Vocation - In this story, a teacher reflects on the disparity between the dreams he had for his career, and what he feels he has achieved. He is heartened by thoughts of small pleasures and triumphs... Life is beautiful - A philosophical, and sometimes humorous, reflection on the mid- life transition. This is a phase when thoughts of major change or early retirement might first surface.... Trudy - This is a story about one of my best friends, and learning to let go with dignity, humanity and gratitude. Retirement is a time to let go of former colleagues and roles and begin again... Going back - “I knew then why I had come back...to discover how I had changed"... Peter the Great. - Prepare to be surprised and entertained as you enter the curious world of stage hypnotism-but this is also a story about the roles we play and the choices we make... Transitions - We experience many changes and cross many thresholds in life. We leave school, leave home, change jobs, get married, parents die, we retire…in all those cases we are faced with the need to give up one way of life and begin another... This is the theme of my story... Go to Retirement Sentiments - where you will find a full index of stories available on retirement-stories.com. |
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