Retirement should not be a scary thing

Retirement should not be a scary thing. I see it as a transition from one of the longest stages of life. An infant is the beginning stage of our life.  As we become adults, we go to school (second stage) and learn the skills we need before entering society.  When we join the adult community as part of the workforce, we do our share in building society (third stage). Our work-life period is probably the longest of any of the previous periods.  When we work, we enrich ourselves with personal relationships and wealth and add value to our companies. We also gain experience as a person, man, woman, husband, wife, etc. Our working lives are the longest stretch of our lifespan. But there comes the point where this stretch of our lives has to conclude. It does not mean it is the end; it is the next transition stage of our lives. It is a time for us to enjoy what we have achieved and take a slower pace to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. It is a time to get away from our daily routines and do something more that enriches our personal lives. I think this is what retirement should be.  I was worried when the idea of retiring first confronted me.  I do not know what I should do if I do not have a job.  How would I spend the day without responsibility?  Will I be bored and become useless to society?  A lot of things went through my mind.  I had no answers, and that worried me.  I heard stories about retirees pretending to be working for a company and dressing up, picking up their briefcases, and leaving the house every day only to end up wandering in the streets till the evening before going home.  I would not like my retirement to be this way.  I want it to be meaningful, busy, wanted, and be responsible for something.  The reality is that we have to build our retirement ourselves.  We can make it be anything we can imagine; if we only try.  I want to do things even after I retire.  I want to be needed and be responsible when I retire.  That will only come if I make it so.  It may seem complicated, but there are plenty of opportunities out there to fill the emptiness of our retirement.  Knowing what you want and being honest with your goal is critical to post-retirement happiness.  

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