My Managers and my colleague say “I should retire”. I don’t really know why, and they won’t give me compelling reasons. In fact, when I ask “Why should I retire?” they answer, “Oh, you just should.” Okay, I’m not going to get a clear and sensible answer, so let’s try inner reflection. Should I retire? Probably.
The word retire brings thoughts about calling an end to things. When I retired from hockey and cricket, I stopped playing – but I didn’t stop being involved.
Retirement is often associated with old age. Yet I retired from driving Egg Trucks when I was 21. When the Traffic Officer gave me a parking ticket (10 days after I had retired, or left the Egg Truck driving job), he demanded to know my occupation. I said “retired”. I had retired (from that job).
Older age brings out stigmas and certain feelings in society. If you are a certain age, you are considered to be “at death’s door”. My work colleague certainly seems to believe this, even though I well and truly thrashed him in an Indian arm wrestle..
Dylan Thomas — Do not go gentle into that good night (6 verses)
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Who said that retirement is about slowing down, or going gentle? I know – Management and Society.
Certainly not ICT professionals, including myself. They say “Develop the technology and empower the person”.
Burl Ives was asked, after he had turned 80, “When was he going to retire?” His beard bristled, and his eyes flared “Retire! I will never retire. Does the sun stop shining?”
Burl Ives was still strumming away, 40 years after popular `retirement` time. Legend has it that folk singer Burl Ives retired 40 years ago. It wasn`t true, but Ives proved legendary in other regards, having sung America`s praises for 40 more years. Ives “That sort of got out,” Ives said in a telephone interview from his home in Montecito, Calif. “I never really did a farewell concert. But every time I sang, somebody said it was my farewell concert. Farewell, my … I`m still singing.” Switching from the salty to the wry, he added, “I think men are supposed to stop singing around 40.”
Not bad for a 1957 model — am I?
I must be doing things. I must keep my brain active.
I can certainly stop doing mundane work, such as Coal Mining or driving egg trucks – but this does not mean stop doing everything. It does not mean stop using the brain!
Maybe I need a hobby. A lot of people move on to hobbies. But what? Do I replace hockey with golf? Geoffrey Moss says “Whatever I do must be fun. I must enjoy it, and achieve a sense of accomplishment”.
Actually, retire = Re Tyre.
I am going to set myself up for a new journey.
The benefits of new tyres.
The cost of new tyres is very minimal compared to the benefits they bring. Tyres are the only part of your vehicle that makes contact with the road. Yes – the journey does need a road or pathway.
Here are five advantages of new tyres (Yes – I am going to re tyre):
- Safety — A new set of tires will provide a cushion of safety for the next 65,000 to 100,000 miles. New tyres also improve your vehicle’s ability to stop, go and turn. For around $400 every seven years, you can have brand new tyres—a very small premium to maintain a safe and healthy driving experience
- Increased Performance — The distance it takes for your car to come to a stop, or the speed you can enter a turn all depends on the quality of your tyres. They also determine how much power your vehicle can put to the ground.
- Better Fuel economy
- Improved Traction — How your tyres perform in different road and weather conditions (like snow, rain, dirt and mud) greatly depends on their compound and tread life.
- A Better Driving Experience — New tyres provide a smoother ride, and are less noisy.
So I need to make sure I’m set up properly for my journey ahead.
I must re tyre properly.
Maybe the odd enhancement. I can look flash — even if I am a 1957 model.
Conclusion:
My managers and my colleague say I should retire. Should I? I don’t think they think of retire the way I do. They think I’m past it, a has been – or even useless.
I agree with Dylan Thomas (Do not go gentle into that good night) and the sentiments of Burl Ives – “I will never retire”. He just kept on singing – and so will I.
Retirement is not about fading and dying. It is a time for a new journey and new adventures. This new journey, as Geoffrey Moss would say, needs new tyres.
Should I retire? Too right! I have 100,000 km journey (at least) ahead of me. I will re tyre, and have a lot of fun.