What do you do when you’ve hit 57, and you and the Mrs are in the fortunate position of having moved into a comfortable phase in your lives? There’s a surplus from the pay cheque, now that the mortgage is repaid and the kids are leading fully independent existences of their own. But you don’t want ‘comfortable’ to be your leading suit, and although you’re still a few years from retirement, you’re searching for something that is different and fulfilling, but that will also tie you over until the first day of payback after decades of superannuation payments.
For a number of years I’d talked wistfully with my wife Chris of entering some kind of transitional phase to full retirement, somewhere around 60. People often call it semi-retirement or pre-retirement, and I’d settle for either of those descriptions. But transitional retirement is my preferred expression as, in life terms, it is a time of moving from one era to another. It also might evolve or take a number of different forms over the period.
Before going any further, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that for many there’s no choice of this kind at this point in their lives. I am very conscious that Chris and I are very privileged to be in this position, and am reminded of it every day at the moment; even as I write this now on a balcony overlooking the quaintly beautiful Nepalese town of Bandipur.
Noam Chomsky said: “The more privilege you have, the more opportunity you have. The more opportunity you have, the more responsibility you have.” With age has come a growing need for both Chris and I to use our privilege wisely, recognising our advantages and using them to help others. Not all of these advantages are financial of course. Access to healthcare, education and work opportunities are all key sources of our fortune, as are having the freedom to speak our mind, cast our democratic vote, and roam freely at home or, outside our own country, within reasonable limitations.
I’m still trying to work out what transitional retirement is going to look like for me, but in the meantime, I’m getting started on it anyway. As John Lennon said: “Life happens while you’re busy making other plans.” So I’m trying to do the opposite: making life happen, while letting plans come to me when they are ready. Or as our Shawshank Redemption inspired family mantra goes: “Get busy Living”. (We all have a tattoo to prove this.)
So for Chris and I, who were both coincidentally given the keys to the corporate exit door within three months of each other this year, chapter one of transitional retirement is a straight forward decision. With the family mantra ringing in our ears, we have just set off on a six month Asian adventure, scratching the itch to relive the traveling experiences of our younger days. Clarity of purpose will surely emerge from here.
More later.
life unplugged 