Spirit alive: Just retired but certainly not tired
Retirement is not a bolt from the blue. You know the date when you are going to retire and hence have all the time to prepare yourself for D-day. Yet, when the time comes it is not easy.
There is no denying the fact that retirement brings a sort of upheaval in life: The stoppage of the monthly salary; loss of position and your routine. At a time when you are grappling with the empty nest syndrome, superannuation hits you like a double whammy. For a working woman, you had no time for yourself, juggled between home and work, trying to strike a balance, and after retirement you have all the time.
The sudden change in gear from a hectic schedule to a laid back routine can initially be difficult to handle. Also, with superannuation comes the senior citizen tag, which is not very flattering. All these years, you may have been able to camouflage the tell tale signs of aging but retirement bares it all, making it to be a public proclamation of your age. Everyone must accept that old age is a reality but definitely not a pleasing actuality.
With the improvement in the longevity and quality of life, 60 is called the new age 40. Seems unjust that you are expected to press the pause button and go into slow mode when you are robust enough to work. But I will be selfish if I plead a case for increasing the retirement age. I am aware of the fact that if I hang around in the job for a longer period, it will be at the cost of the younger generation desperately looking for jobs. Their need for jobs is definitely more than mine.
A little over a month ago, I acquired the just retired status; ever since then I have been flooded with advice from wellwishers, friends and relatives on how best to spend retired life. A well-meaning retired neighbour suggested, “Go slow. Don’t be in a hurry to finish your task.” When all through your life you have been rushing, suddenly doing the things at a leisurely pace doesn’t seem easy. “Vyasth raho (stay busy), mast raho (stay happy),” is another piece of advice coming from an experienced colleague. Her mantra for a happy and healthy retired life is activity to keep oneself busy. From a myriad of suggestions from various quarters, I have to decide what makes me happy – an active life or a laidback lifestyle style.
As I chalk out a post-retirement schedule for myself, the news of actor Amitabh Bachchan turning 75 and still going strong drives my retirement blues away. With redoubled energy, I look for post-retirement activities and engagements to keep myself fruitfully busy. After all, I am retired but not tired.
WITH SUPERANNUATION COMES THE SENIOR CITIZEN TAG, WHICH IS NOT VERY FLATTERING. ALL THESE YEARS, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CAMOUFLAGE THE TELL TALE SIGNS OF AGING BUT RETIREMENT BARES IT ALL