"Life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies."
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Glenn Mollette
A friend of mine said the great thing about retirement was that he could do whatever he wanted to do. The problem was that he couldn’t afford to do much.
Maybe you felt more freedom after your children were raised and were on their own. Unfortunately, some people never ever see their children totally raised as many stay dependent on the parent until the parent dies. Let’s say that your adult children are doing well and taking care of their kids. This is hopeful as too many grandparents end up raising their grandchildren. Your retirement years are now staring you in the face. You may be 45 to 55 years old. Th word retirement is a bit scary because you are thinking, “How is this financially possible?” It’s taking a fortune to retire. Thus, between the ages of 45 and 65 you are working hard to try to invest in a 401k, pay into Social Security and any other savings plan that you can. Try to start doing this in your very early twenties and it will alleviate a lot of pressure in your late fifties. Back again to your freedom. How much freedom do you have in this stage of life? You may take a vacation or two. Play some golf on the weekend, fish or pursue other hobbies but your life is very regimented. The day comes when you decide to retire. You retire. Now what?. A friend of mine said the great thing about retirement was that he could do whatever he wanted to do. The problem was that he couldn’t afford to do much. Another friend once said when he retired, “I have all the money I need for the rest of my life, unless I buy something.” Retirement is not necessarily the golden window of freedom. Maybe for a while, but things happen. Your spouse may become sick and even debilitated. This changes the scenario. You may become a caregiver to your mother or father. They have no one else but you, so what are you going to do? Just dump them? An elderly parent may become like your child. You may be responsible for their total care. This could be the same for a spouse or even a child or other family members. In most cases this almost completely closes the window of doing much for yourself. Vacations and recreational outings of almost any kind become nearly impossible. Of course, any of us can become sick and debilitated at any moment. The point of all this is not to make anyone feel bad. The point is, don’t take anything for granted. Enjoy everything. Enjoy your day trips, any outings and any vacations. Enjoy your day going to Walmart. Enjoy going to church. Enjoy it all, because seasons change. There is a time to weep and a time to dance. A time to mourn and a time to laugh. Enjoy it all, because seasons change.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
