Much as I would love to retire - right now - I'm not sure it's a good idea unless I have a clear objective to reach while being retired. So far I've thought about a routine to keep body, soul, mind and spirit all exercised during retirement, but that's pretty self-focused. There's an outward focus that's just as necessary, I think, but I haven't figured that part out.
Listening to the sermon on Sunday, something the Pastor said got me to thinking about my life objective and about my abilities and skills - do they cease in retirement? Were they only for the workplace?
For several years (decades, really) my life objective has been to leave relationships and organizations better than I found them. That still has merit, and I would want to continue that life objective even when retired. But ... how could I do that if I am not involved in relationships and organizations? What's there to "leave better" if I am holed up in my house concentrating on body, soul, mind & spirit ... as a disconnected individual? I'm introverted, and love time alone, but I can't have a positive impact on others if I don't get out of my house. :) I will need involvement with people and organizations, even though it's hard for me to initiate, and wears me down when it happens. A friend of mine from church has invited me to come to some regular business networking meetings he has, and I dread that stuff. But... it may be exactly what I need to do during retirement to stay connected with people and potentially have a positive impact on them.
My innate makeup is a combination of both an intuitive and an analytical nature, instinctively applying pattern recognition to observations, and turning that into creative, strategic thinking. These have been hallmarks of my work life for, again, decades. How do I use these things in retirement? Well, I'd have to think that some non-profit organization could use that skill set to advance their causes. I suppose that businesses could use that same skill set on a part-time, consulting basis. But both of those require getting out in the community and the business world to interact with organizations and find out what they need.
Finally, there's the area of spiritual gifts. For those unfamiliar with the concept, take a look at Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 3, 1 Peter 2. God gives to his people certain gifts to be used to encourage and build up his people. Their use is in the context of the Church, but they do have some spillover into non-church settings. Consistently over decades, mine have been gifts of: teaching, edification through music, and leadership ("shepherding", usually as an Elder in the church). Teaching, leadership and music have application outside the church, and God has allowed there to be some spillover of those gifts into the secular world for me. Of course, continued involvement in church has nothing to do with retirement, so I expect those to continue to be used in the church so long as health, mind, and voice hold up. Beyond that, though, teaching and leadership have potential for use in the secular world during retirement, too. Loaned executives, adjunct professors, Board members, all are possible outlets for those gifts.
So, while retirement seems deliciously tempting right now... there will need to be no lack of engagement with others during retirement, in order to continue to have a healthy outward focus. There's an old analogy I can use here, and that is the difference between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. The former is called Dead for a reason. No life can be sustained in it because of the high mineral content there. One of the reasons that the Dead Sea's mineral content is so high is that it has no outlet. No river flows through it. The Sea of Galilee, however, has both an inlet and an outlet. It has fresh water flowing through it all the time, and as such it supports life. No wonder several of Jesus's disciples had a booming fishing trade there. If I in retirement simply take in and don't give out as well... I will become like the Dead Sea. I'd rather have a fresh and vital life, even if that means getting out of my house and interacting with people. :)
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