Retirement - An Ode to and the Joys of

Although retirement is a 10 letter word, a lot of peoplesnuggled next to me, my poor hard working husband
regard it as much of a four letter word as those otherhaving already trundled off to work. If anyone loves
unmentionable expletives. They feel that their life will bemy retirement more than I do, it's probably the cats.
over once they retire, that there will be nothing left toThey love having company all day and someone who
live for. Their job has been their life.will sleep in with them.
Just as they say Youth is Wasted on the Young, I sayBut what about that mental stimulation? My friends are
Retirement is Wasted on the Old. I worked over 40sure my brain will turn to mush if I'm not productive.
years to finally reach this milestone in my life and IBut I am productive I assure them. I am doing things
have been embracing it with gusto. I just wish I couldand I am mentally stimulated. I'm just doing things in my
have achieved this status much earlier, before theown time. I don't need a boss to tell me what to do
joints started creaking.and when to do it. I am my own boss and I'm a pretty
I took early retirement, at age 62. After working allgood one if I must say so!
those years, when it got down to the final lap, I couldI allow myself a generous lunchtime, several decent
not wait any longer for the grand old age of 65 tobreaks during the day, unlimited phone calls to and
retire. So on my 62nd birthday I said adieu to thefrom friends, an early quitting time if I need it and never
working world, in which I had been treated very fairly,any work to bring home. I can play games on the
and for the most part really enjoyed, but from whichcomputer too if I want, although that has never
world I could not wait to depart.appealed to me, but the point is I can do it if I want
Retirement is like being out of school for the summerwithout feeling like a thief, stealing time from my
but the summer never ends. Of course there is nocompany.
more anticipation of that first day of school again,Oh yeah, the drawback...no pay! Well there is the
looking forward to hearing what our school friends didSocial Security check, but as I said...no pay! It buys the
during the summer, eyeing them closely to see howcat food but ever since said critters discovered that
much they've changed in those 10 to 12 weeks, butother pets get fed every day instead of once a week,
how many of us eagerly anticipate our first day backthe food bill has gone up. Okay just kidding here, but
to work after a vacation? Our co-workers will stillthe fact remains that I'm getting by on a lot less these
pretty much be the same people who we left behind 7days and oddly enough this is another type of
or 14 days earlier.freedom. I'd rather do with less cash and more time.
Some people never want to retire. They truly enjoyLest anyone think I am a total sloth and don't do
waking up each morning at a regimented time, indulginganything but plod around in my housecoat with my hair
in their familiar daily routine, going off to the workplace,up in curlers, eating bon bons (whatever they are) and
and then at the appointed hour, leaving the job andwatching the Soaps, I actually accomplish quite a
coming home to their sanctum sanctorum.lot...again, in my own time!
Fortunately, I am not one of those people. RetirementIn my first year of retirement I wrote a book and had it
is Freedom! Freedom from the dreaded shrill of thepublished. Now I would call that a pretty good
alarm clock, the last minute search for appropriateaccomplishment and very mentally stimulating. I'm now
office attire, (because I'm not one of those organizedworking on my second book with the third one already
people who could lay their clothes out the night before).forming in my mind.
Freedom from the daily commute. Freedom from theMy friends assure me that they would be bored silly in
office politics. Freedom from...well you get it. Just pure,retirement. How can that be? There are so many
wonderful freedom from captivity, much like the tiger inwonderful things in this world to reach out and
a cage who manages to escape his cruel environs.embrace, to learn. I'm studying French, parlez vous
Even after two years of retirement, friends still inquireFrancais? Non, un peu, but I'm trying to learn more
about my mental health and lack of stimulation. Theyeach day.
seem to all be of the same mindset, that if you aren'tLet's not forget the dreaded H word - Housework!
employed, you're bored.That, in and of itself, is a real time consumer and one
Oh, how wrong they are! How deliciously wrong theyfrom which I'd love to retire. Alas, search as I may, I
are. My life is even fuller now since retirement. The bigcan't seem to find anyone who is willing to do this
difference is that now I decide when to start my day.chore for what I could afford to pay them.
Truth be told, sometimes my day doesn't start untilSo I do the dishes, make the beds and to paraphrase
noon. Yes, I said it...noon!Joan Rivers- Then next week you have to do it all
But the end of my day may also now end at 1 or 2 inover again. I like the way she thinks.
the morning, not at 10 p.m., because I have to go toI now have time for volunteer work and to enjoy it. I
bed because I have to be up early for work. Myhave time to shop, although it isn't as much fun when
retirement, my hours.on a reduced income, but this just encourages me to
If I don't feel like doing anything on any particular day Ilearn a new skill - bargain shopping!
don't have to think up a good excuse to tell the bossThey say never tie your ego to your job or you'll be
why I won't be in. Or why I will be late. I just smile andlost when you lose it. I'm not lost...I've found wonderful,
roll back over in bed, usually with a cat or twoemancipating freedom. Try it - You'll like it!