RETIREMENT IS NOT A CURSE

GREY is between BLACK and WHITE...ALL  ARE REAL COLOURS WITH ITS OWN "MEANING AND VALUE"

Retirement or Old age is not a curse though superficially it may seem so. The most certain thing is that everybody will grow old, You and I ,but the most uncertain thing is the way in which one is going to face the reality called retirement and old age .And this is a Universal “problem”(fact) not at all limited to any nation or race in the world.

The great industry leader Mr.Ratan Tata, who led the TATA group  of companies into the most powerful and competitive  global arena retired after an eventful long period .He “ tweeted “on28th January ,a month after his retirement “Life has been wonderfully pleasant .There has been more time to be at home ,play with my dogs, and catch upon smaller things that I never found the time do earlier.”

Now there is every possibility of commenting on this saying that R. TATA can afford to enjoy his post retirement life in anyway because he has money. But this is not at all true in the sense that no one loses the urge to live actively despite  the  ageing process. It is more of a psychological thing . For example ,there are people who never lose their enthusiasm to learn new things and their motivation is only to do what they like and their curiosity urges them to go forward.

 Just as I am writing this ,an elderly gentleman with full flowing white hair walks into my room (I am the Director of a management college) and expresses his intention to join the BBA course of three years . He told me that he is 70 years old and he could not complete his degree course since he discontinued his studies to enter the government service .He wanted to join as a regular student !!.I appreciated his enthusiasm but I asked to join in the distance education programme for BSW  Bachelor of Social Work which he will enjoy learning . He was convinced and he has almost decided to join the course. If he does that he will have a new goal in life ,not exactly for getting a job but to satisfy his hunger for knowledge.

Retirement is inevitable and it is a fact though one would like to consider a figment of imagination. But life after retirement , something to be relished and most often it will turn out to be very productive in terms of satisfaction and fulfillment  if one develops a positive attitude to the whole thing .Our need for money after retirement may cause some concern but that is only a minor part compared to the emptiness  and anxiety created by the many extra hours that you get once the regular work is over.

 I still remember a professor who used to come to the campus on a daily basis and sit in the department .For some days other faculty members responded to him with respect but before long the retired professor was left alone and he was made to feel, of course indirectly ,that his presence was not liked there. He tried to hang on ,despite this, but finally stopped coming .

This gentleman faced this situation because of three reasons 1.He did not care to plan as to what he should be doing after retirement 2.He did not cultivate any other interest in life to pursue after his regular service.3.he was not mentally prepared to be away from the comfort  zone  where he used to spend his time for more than 30 years.

 He lived only for three years after his retirement and it is said that he went into depression and died a frustrated man not even liked by his own family. This because his behaviour changed and started quarrelling with everybody in the house .But he could have lived a happy retired life if he had mentally prepared to accept the fact and change his attitude towards work and life .

A study says that Women take retirement in  a positive  way ,and most of them enjoy the life after retirement .

        “When men reach their sixties and retire ,they goes to pieces. Women go right on cooking “Gail Sheehy

But actually speaking retirement is the right time to start and do something you always wanted to do. But it is easy to say this and not at all easy to put into practice  until and unless proper planning is done much in advance.

All depends on how you manage your time which is in plenty after you retire. You should have a goal ( it does not matter whether the goal is to become the President of your country or to become a good marathon  runner) to use your available time ( in plenty ) in a way that you would enjoy what you are doing . This is very much possible provided you have the will to do it .

Have you ever sat down and thought,

   What is my purpose in life?

What is my passion?

    Where do I go from here?

Please take paper and write it down and let us see what happens ..

To be continued....Varma