Tuesday 28 January 2020

The Golden Years of Retirement

My Golden Years Must Be Silver. They Are Tarnished

Many people fear retirement. I am there and would definitely say it is not to be feared but it absolutely requires preparation. The big one is finances. I have no problem keeping myself busy and that does not mean sitting on my butt in front of the TV. If you really want  to enjoy yourself you need 1 of 2 things: A big net worth to replace your salary with earnings or a very inexpensive passtime which you love.

I did really well in school always getting top marks but in that subject which is not taught per se, called life, and its advanced topic called retirement, I give myself a failing grade.

I was born in the late '40s. There are many things for which my generation should be grateful. In my case:

  1. I never had to go off to face the horrors of war possibly never to return.
  2. I did not face the discrimination many face daily.
  3. My family was not wealthy growing up but we had a decent life because of the hard work and sacrifice of my parents.
  4. I never had and so far still don't have any serious health problems. I do workout and watch what I eat to preserve this.
  5. I could have done anything and become anything I really wanted. So can you.
  6. I lived for several years in a university residence and had the time of my life. I had a lot of catching up to do with experiences most kids had in high school. My energy went more into socializing than to academics.
  7. I lived and worked for a few years in another country experiencing an entirely different culture - the U.K. I enjoyed it.
  8. I have no serious financial debts but also no excess to do many things that others are now enjoying.
I have many regrets and for these I am solely responsible:

  1. I never found a calling at which I had a natural talent and which I enjoyed. If you find that and give it all you have you will do well in life.
  2. Long before meeting my partner I let the one woman I should have asked to spend our lives together get away. That's the one regrettable thing about my time in the U.K. In the case of my partner on the other hand, long before we met she found the man she thought was her match but it did not work out.
  3. I should have pursued music, writing, or some other form of the creative arts.
  4. I did not have kids.
  5. I took my education for granted working very hard at it but for the wrong reasons and in the wrong fashion.
  6. For some time I did give professional financial advice and sold financial products to clients but in this area I was like the plumber with leaky taps at home.
  7. Essentially I drifted through life event by event. I should have charted a course.
So why people will ask, am I writing this? Perhaps some younger person or their parent will read it and realize the answer to that question: This is how NOT to lead your life. Invest for a rainy day and find something you love doing and someone to love. The rest will take care of itself.


The Brewster



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