Retirement means different things to different people. For instance, if you are energetic and creative, as I think I am, and eager to begin checking off those “bucket list” items, as I was, the opportunity to retire from a job I loved for the purpose of fulfilling some other long-standing dreams that have been on the back burner for decades is ideal. Or, for those that want a much entitled rest in order to travel, to start a business or just to enjoy the simple life, that’s good too.
On the other hand, if you are forced into retirement due to illness, downsizing, or for any other involuntary reason and don’t know how you will handle your time, retirement could present a challenge that affects one’s self esteem and sense of value.
For them, I recommend soul searching in effort to re-establish a sense of purpose and meaning. This is a bigger challenge for some than for others, but it is achievable for everyone.
One of the things that I initially found challenging in retirement was allowing myself to feel the “joy” in being able to “take time.”
Taking the time to relish pleasant experiences without feeling rushed or guilty was a challenge at first, but I did it until it began to feel familiar.
Being able to take time to sleep until I am ready to rise, to visit out-of-town family, to exercise, to organize my house, my files and my life, to feed my passion to write whenever the spirit moves me, and to engage in service projects of my choosing, etc., is truly a blessing. I’m grateful every day for the gift of retirement.
So, that’s my Point of View. The following are the sentiments of four Dayton/former Dayton residents regarding their views and thoughts about retirement:
Jim Stahler
“I officially retired in 2000, but continue to be committed to human service issues, public policy concerns and community endeavors that impact people’s lives. Retirement has been great for me because it has afforded me the opportunity to “show up” more fully for my family and still pick and choose a respectable level of volunteerism. I’m grateful to have been able to devote time to caregiving for my parents, and I am especially happy to have been there for my dad, who really needed me after my mother passed. I was able to use my social-work skills to get him engaged in meaningful volunteer activities before he passed.
“Over the past decade, I have honored their wishes by getting scholarships established in their names at several area institutions of higher learning.
“I’ve enjoyed a long and successful career. Now I want to focus on making the kind of truly “significant” contributions/memories with my wife, children and grandchildren, while also doing the volunteer work that I am passionate about.
“I feel that I have made a healthy transition from “success” in the work place to “significance” in the real world.”
Mary Moorman
“When I think of retirement, the first word that comes to my mind is FREEDOM! Freedom to do what I want, when I want.
Unlike when I was working, now I am available to help my mother when needed as well as to volunteer at the places I want, when I want.
“My husband, who retired the same time that I did, and I enjoy traveling and taking our grandchildren on trips. We just love watching them experience new things and exposing them to things that they wouldn’t ordinarily get to see and do. We’re looking forward to our big family reunion this summer when we will get to see the entire family.
“Family means everything to me and my husband and after working many, many years, we are happy just to be taking our time and enjoying our lives with those we love.
“Surprisingly, another interesting thing that I have done since retiring is joining Facebook! I’ve been so touched by the wonderful messages that former students have sent to me. It took Facebook and their messages to help me see what a positive impact I made on their lives. What a joy! I’m getting a kick out of it all. It warms my heart.”
Pat Johnson
“I retired from doing work that I love in order to free myself up to explore other interests. Fortunately, I enjoy great health. Being retired allows me to further my interest in global health issues without work-related time restrictions.
“My training as a physician assistant afforded me a very fulfilling experience working in Alaska for several years. Now that I’m retired, I can still use my skills doing time-limited, focused teaching on various health issues.
“For instance, this summer I will be travelling with a global health group to Tanzania to provide education on HIV/AIDS prevention. So, I still get to travel and do work that I love while also having fun hiking and doing other activities with my friends.
“Now that I have more time, I can also fulfill my dream of exploring my roots in greater detail to understand more about my grandparents’ lifestyle and beliefs. Retirement for me has also meant having more time for personal reflection, and that’s very important to me as well. This time is a wonderful new phase of my life that I’m blessed to be enjoying to the fullest.”
Gary Dunn
“I don’t think of myself as retired. I consider myself graduated. I was motivated to end my work career for several reasons: my wife was ill, my job was stressful and, after 43 years, I felt I had put in enough time. Now, I am not on a schedule and my wife and I can do the things we really enjoy doing together.
“For instance, we enjoy taking road trips, and if we see something interesting and decide to stop on the spur of the moment and take an unplanned detour, we just do it. No hustle, bustle or rush.
“Both of my daughters play musical instruments and I have always wanted to play the piano. When my wife surprised me with a new piano, it was a sign that it was time for me to take advantage of the free lessons that came with it. And I did. I also love riding my bike, doing a little remodeling around the house, gardening, collecting red and white wines, and getting involved in my community.
“I loved working for all of those years, but I can honestly say, now that I am retired/graduated, I do not miss working one bit. I’m just living my life with a smile.”
Dr. Marjorie Baker is a retired associate professor in the department of social work at Wright State University.
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