I’ve always been a fan of sharing what I’ve learned over the years, so that if it makes something easier for someone heading the same direction, great. If it doesn’t, at least I tried.
I’m telling you under-40s reading this right now that there’s going to be a POOF you never saw coming and the next thing you know, you’re talking about subjects like retirement and articles about social security will catch your eye (if you’re wearing your readers).
When I look back to my pre-40 years, at that time I felt like retirement was “giving up.” I realize that there are those who live to work and others who work to live and that I’m a proud member of that first category. For the most part, I have been very fortunate to be able to do what I wanted to do for a living almost all my life. Well, the United Airlines flight kitchen paid decently, but oh, the stories….
Just last week, someone I know posted pictures of his “last day” at work, when he was officially retiring. I don’t even know what that means. I chose for the last decade to create a job salad, which means (let me count quickly) I have a minimum of 10 different income sources. So, for me, retirement is not just shutting it all down one day and going fishing (although, that sounds really good), but rather a slow weaning off of the various gigs and side-gigs, until I’m doing only hobby stuff. Of course, my hobbies are writing and video and audio production and stuff like I’m doing right now. So basically, retirement to me is just doing the same thing I’m already doing, but just not getting paid for it. That explains why I’m not in a big rush.
But in the meantime, I recently discovered a great shift in my attitude as I slowly approach those so-called “Golden Years”. We have the Major League Baseball All-Star game coming to town next week with the biggest names in the game hanging out in Seattle and all the hoopla that goes along with it. We’re talking days of special events, a celebrity softball game, a futures games, the Home Run Derby and the big game itself.
In my younger years, I would have been all over it. In fact, at the time of the last Seattle hosted All-Star game, I went to both the Home Run Derby on Monday and then, the following day, to the actual game itself. I got the KLSY seats and got to sit on the 3rd base side, where we had an almost front-row seat to that famous incident where Tommy Lasorda got nailed by a flying bat. If you don’t remember, let me refresh your memory.
I can’t believe it’s been 22 years since that happened.
All this to say, I know there’s going to be some very cool stuff on display, the games would be a kick to see live in person, but that spark, that drive, that thing that makes you fight the traffic and pay uncomfortably high prices just to say you were there–is gone!
In the old days–well, technically speaking, my young days–there was that voice in your head that would say, “Oh, you HAVE to go!” These days, it’s not that I’m too tired, or don’t care or any of that stuff. It’s just that shift in thinking I was mentioning earlier where, by this time, you’ve done so many things in your life and just like possessions, after a while, you’ve got all need.
Oh, I’m going to savor this year’s Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game, but at home. On my couch. On my TV. And when I’m done, I’ll be surrounded by everything and anything I could possibly need.
I don’t exactly remember when and where my thinking changed, but it did. I’m pretty sure it’s attached to that aging thing, as the frequency of hearing about friends and family passing increases and you find yourself saying the words, “That’s so young” or “I remember when that was old” more and more. It took some time, but I finally realized that it’s not the big things, but all those little things that mean so much more as you get older.
So, to summarize, if you are a proud member of that under-40 club right now, just tuck this away for later. Enjoy that enthusiasm, cherish those memories you’re creating, because you are actually living the “good old days” right now. Just be sure to take plenty of notes.
And that’s my latest report from the front lines. Now, to get those kids off my lawn.
Tim Hunter
Tim Hunter's Wacky Blog 