When retirement becomes a full-time job
One-and-a-half years ago, I joined the battalion of retired people. After dedicating six months to personal work, I was back to my professional work. My job takes away eight hours with sporadic periods of emergency engagements. But I have a lot of time at my disposal.
I find my government job friends busy and private professional friends well settled in their day to day practice. My new workplace has its own alignments of doctors and squeezing oneself in the crowded place is a difficult proposition. To spend time meaningfully, reading one’s own subject is advisable for it helps learn the advances in one’s area of specialisation.
The other day, a recently retired friend of mine narrated the following conversation with his wife.
His wife asked him, “What are you doing?” “Nothing,” he politely replied. “But you were doing the same thing yesterday,” she said, confronting him. “Yes, but I am not finished yet,” he said, thinking he had stumped her. She did not take it kindly and retorted, “Obviously, I’ve been living with you for 30 years. I know you are good for nothing and good at nothing. It’s the government that tolerated you for donkey’s years. In any case, there ‘nothing’ is good and ‘good’ is nothing. But now you have a chance to redeem yourself. At least you can go and capture some Pokemons.”
Such exchanges are ordained if one has nothing else to do to take a break from home.
The belief that a retired husband is often a wife’s full-time job no longer holds true. The modern times are the best time to retire. The vacuum inflicted by retirement can be filled by having a hobby. In my case, I invested time learning golf and after persistent practice, I manage to go to the main golf course and look forward to playing. The passion for the game ‘engolfed’ me.
The daily set of four newspapers and online news keeps me engaged, too.
But the best is being part of WhatsApp groups. With the number of real friends shrinking, spreading wings in the virtual world of friends is natural. There are many WhatsApp groups but one tends to be part of the group of class fellows or batchmates to feel connected. Those friends were at one time all sailing in the same boat but of course headed for different destinations, some settling for easy, others for the difficult destination, depending on the grit they had to face rough waters.
Retirement takes all the meaning out of weekends. This may not hold true for most professionals. Many tend to remain occupied till the age they want to. Sometimes they start the second innings long after retirement. The upside is this insulates them from the vacuum and void retirement creates.
They say do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. It helps if what you love is being unemployed or retired.
THEY SAY DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND YOU WILL NEVER WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. IT HELPS IF WHAT YOU LOVE IS BEING UNEMPLOYED OR RETIRED