Marching Onward

Even while we ensure the pressure of work, weather, and what-not we usually have something to look forward to be it a vacation, an anniversary, or some other type of event.  Currently I am working with several colleagues who are about to take the big leap into Retirement and in one sense I envy them but in another I am filled with trepidation on their behalf.  For the men I feel particularly concerned because as I have read and heard numerous times they are the least prepared for the isolation that comes with retirement.  For many men they have so completely identified themselves with their job that there is nothing solid for them to fall back on in retirement. 

       I have noticed that frequently when one has colleagues as friends if you leave the company within a year that friendship will have withered and died.  Rare indeed are the colleague-friends who have enough in common to continue on with that friendship.  In that regard I find myself truly blessed and I think many women also experience the same continued friendship.  For men, unless they make a conscious effort, this rarely happens.  While they are working, yes, they “network”, but once the purpose of networking disappears there is little in common to continue the relationship.  I think this is particularly well drawn in the film “About Schmidt” and I am aware of a few men who took this as a wake up call and began reinventing themselves.  Kudos to them.

       I was catching up with an old friend yesterday on the C-train and we shared some more fact gathering on retirement.  It is interesting that despite researching this subject for more than 8 years I am constantly surprised to discover new ‘facts’ or pieces that I had not yet considered.  In this case we were talking about our credit ratings, something I had not really considered as part of The Plan.  Another item, as we get older we need to be sure that our wills, personal directives and power of attorney are updated since things will change at a rapid pace in our twilight years.  I feel that one ought to have a Guideline Notebook with things to check up on annually because who can keep it all straight from year to year?

       And on this note, I will end with heartfelt relief that they have changed Katherine Chancellor’s storyline from Alzheimer’s to a brain tumour – I’m just not sure I could have dealt with the agony of seeing Kay decline on TV.  I am still not completely over the book “Still Alice”.  J