Guess I expected more - like a discussion of the struggles and doubts many of us go through upon retirement. It was a mistake to look for anything other than a put down at the very idea of returning to work. Lesson learned.
Well, with a disclaimer that I haven't been on this forum all that long so I might be dead wrong, it seems that there are prevalent themes that pervade most threads: retirement is good, a well-planned retirement is better, and an early well-planned retirement is best.
A discussion of the "struggles and doubts many....go through upon retirement" can be interpeted in different ways. Some people struggle to fill their retirement day with meaningful activities, and doubt that retirement will bring them fulfillment; so they want to discuss going back to work in some fashion, whether part-time or full-time, perhaps in a career change. For them, working brings purpose and meaning to their life that they couldn't find in retirement. This is a philosophical discussion, and there are members with strong opinions on this dilemma. Fortunately for you, those members who won't hesitate to share those strong opinions with you.
On the other hand, if the struggles and doubts are about financial security, then the issue becomes a financial discussion. More specifically, it becomes a discussion on careful financial planning for retirement. A potential retiree (early or otherwise) should consider his/her planning in light of financial market history, both the highs and the lows, and the rough waters in between.
Retirees who want to rush back to work because the market is having a hiccup, a cough or even prolonged vomiting, should consider that these financial illnesses come along every several years, and whether you'll want or need to rush back to work each time.
But I'm not an expert; heck, I'm not even really retired yet. I'm just married to a guy who has been retired for two years and whenever my financial stomach starts to lurch along with the market, DH reminds me that we could, if we needed to, live on less than half our SWR.
FWIW, the cast of characters in this forum are generally well-meaning. Some are brusque and even curmudgeonly (and you know who you are
), while others are easy-going and good-natured, some are funny, witty and often sarcastic, others seem serious and more thoughtful. But this is a forum for people who are retired, who want to retire, who want to retire early, and for people who enjoy retirement.