Becoming a full-time member of AARP

“At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don’t care what they think of us. At age 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all.” — Ann Landers

I will never forget receiving an invitation to join the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). I just turned 50 years old. Yes, I was mildly insulted but most of all I was surprised.

Some years ago my brother, Ken, told me not to feel uncomfortable when people started asking me about when I was going to retire. He said it is just part of normal conversation when people get to be our age. I had already become used to the cashier at O’Grady’s Restaurant volunteering to give me the 10 percent senior’s discount without asking to look at my driver’s license for proof of age.

But on June 30, 2016, at 70 years of age my retirement from the University of Valley Forge became official. The UVF Board of Trustees graciously gave me the title of President Emeritus without responsibility for this year. Evie and I will continue to live in the old farmhouse here on campus until we move around March 1, 2017.

As full-time members of AARP, we have experienced all kinds of changes. Perhaps the most striking has been the re- alization that most evenings takes time. And when we are we don’t need to set our alarm prone to feel guilty, we think for the next morning. And of Parker J. Palmer’s words, since someone told us that re“Self-care is never a selfish tirement is like having six Satact.” urdays and a Sunday, whatWe know this season will ever we plan to do “today,” if come to an end. We have we don’t finish it, we always friends who retired and many have “tomorrow.” of them counsel us, though,

Please do not misunder“Don’t do as we did. We took stand me. We are not retireon too much. We have been ment experts. We are novices way too busy.” in every way. But if you were As we have pondered this to ask us how it is going, we new season, we are considerwould both quickly reply, “Abing these three words: drift; solutely wonderful. We love driven; deliberate. We do not this new season.” want to over-commit ourselves

Shortly after I first beand become driven to tasks came the president of UVF I which obligate us beyond that heard about the advice given which is practical of this seaby a president of my alma son in our lives. mater, Wheaton College. On the other hand, we also He said, “In your first year do not want to drift along as president, you run absoaimlessly and meaninglessly lutely as fast as you can. Afwithout any purpose or objecter that first year, you picktive. up speed.” After nearly 20 We would, however, like to years in this role I must adbe deliberate by seeking God’s mit there is some truth in wisdom as to what we do and those words. do not do by trying to keep

At times Evie would ask me our personal and public lives if I was “caught up” with my in healthy balance. We are not work. Over the years I usually sure what that will look like answered, “I am never caught but we anxiously anticipate up.” Most leadership responthe creative adventures of dissibility is like farming. You covering together what that hardly ever hear a farmer say, means. “I am finished” or “caught up” Regarding retirement … at the end of a day. Farmers this is as far as we’ve come. just stop when the day is over Think about it. and resume the next day.

As a result, when we entered this new world of AARP, we decided to initially focus on rest, refreshing, and recharging our physical, spiritual and emotional batteries. We are discovering this kind of personal renewal Dr. Don Meyer is president emeritus of the University of Valley Forge, Phoenixville. Connect via dgmeyer@ valleyforge.edu, Facebook. com/DrDonMeyer, www. DrDonMeyer.com, Twitter and Instagram: @DrDonMeyer.