Inevitably, inexorably, indescribably father time
controls the clock of life… counting down our time
On this earth until the chimes strike midnight.
For some, the final stages of existence begin with
a societal imposed marker we call “retirement”.
Hello, America !
65 is not a universally mandated shutdown age.
Approaching 65 can be a foreboding signature. What happens when we meet
that milestone? Will the grim reaper appear at our door
step ready to tell us “how many years we have remaining?”
Planners, journalists, pundits, seers of all types market the
concept that we need a “plan”, a vision, some defined pathway
for our golden years.
Society conditions some to think their mental faculties will
Immediately disappear: that they better run to the pharmacist
to begin using the little blue pills: that the world will consider them
as
, used up trash. These get translated into
“ what will I do with my time that continues to reaffirm my self worth?
A sense of gray foreboding overshadows the psyche.
A second group ignores the signposts which say “dangerous curve ahead”,
or “slippery when wet”…. They disregard flashing lights on the horizon and
continue with their journey. This hell bent for election group mutters
about turning 65 . But they are not about to give up being snow birds, their
BMW’s, and fine wines. Identifying a plan to which they commit is
a type of prison sentence –an admission that life will end in a time and
manner beyond their control.
A constant theme within those in this transitional demographic is the presence
or lack thereof .. of self satisfaction and inner peace.
The pessimists (the world is going to end) and the idealists (I can maintain this
lifestyle forever) are both searching. Most pessimists have spent their
adult life looking in the rear view mirror romanticizing the past. The idealists
search for a future – the present is never good enough and the future is ill
defined.
Prepping for retirement – inner peace is one of the foundation stones.
Those described in the two scenarios above are thrashing about for calmness,
a sense of purpose and happiness. Inner piece cannot be created magically
over night when one reaches the magical 65 milestone. The good news –inner
peace is a process which can be enjoyed over an entire lifetime. A process
which is the direct opposite of giving up, being lethargic, or milling about in
the swamps of hopelessness.
This is the proverbial journey—
rlhassociates 