Retirement

Have you noticed how many people you know that have worked all their lives and saved up for retirement, only to die soon after retiring?  Sometimes even within months.  I could name close to a dozen right off the bat.  Even a couple that were co-workers.  One worked for over 50 years and his retirement was less than a year.

This phenomenon makes me wonder, what does life mean to me?  What do I want out of my life?  If I am here to work, save money and die before I could spend it, then I might as well die now.  what a vicious circle!  So many people I know, live to work.  They approach their jobs with a reckless abandon.  Forsaking everything else around them, including friends and family.  Their drive for money blinds them to the trimmings of life.   Incidentally, when asked about their dreams and their reasons for working so zealously, they really have no sensible response.  These are usually the ones dying at a young age with their obits stating ‘they were hard workers.’

Let’s get this straight, I am a very hard and honest worker who believes in giving 100% to whatever task I am assigned.  I however, do not take my work home with me or give it precedence over my family, friends or my own life.  I see my job only as a means to an end.  To maintain it, I’ll do my best and work as hard as I could.

I am not saying no one should retire as they will die soon after.  I am saying slow down and smell the roses.  Work is not the all to end all.  If you live a fulfilling life where you found that happy blend of work and life.  You took your vacations, enjoy your family and laughed a lot.  If you end up being one of those that die a bit prematurely, then at least your obituary will state that you ‘lived your life to the fullest, was a great family man and had a great laugh.’