I volunteered at an event that an ex-colleague was running this weekend. I saw many ex-colleagues - some of whom were just hearing the news that I retired last summer. One of them was a guy who was 80 - yes EIGHTY - years old and still working. I was an engineer (female) and have known other engineers who have worked into their 70s and 80s and claimed it was for financial reasons. I just really can't believe that. Many of them have retired from the military or multiple companies at a time when pensions were common. Plus, there's SSN and 401k plans. So I take it with a grain of salt when a hyper-organized 80 year old engineer claims he's working for $$. I think he just can't think of anything else to do.
Besides him, I encountered others and they seemed to look upon me as a zoo animal. One (predictably) asked: WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY?!?!? I roughly laid out my life - spending a lot more time of self care (exercising - at least an hour a day hike while listening to audio books), reading, diving into things I never had time to do while working, tending to my HS senior, helping with my husband's business by doing bookkeeping, cooking more fresh meals instead of eating out. Most of them looked at me like I was from Mars.
At the end of the day, I started to feel like maybe there was something wrong with me. But after 37 years at the company, I was ready to do different things and had saved and planned so I could. Why is that such a crazy concept?!
Besides him, I encountered others and they seemed to look upon me as a zoo animal. One (predictably) asked: WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY?!?!? I roughly laid out my life - spending a lot more time of self care (exercising - at least an hour a day hike while listening to audio books), reading, diving into things I never had time to do while working, tending to my HS senior, helping with my husband's business by doing bookkeeping, cooking more fresh meals instead of eating out. Most of them looked at me like I was from Mars.
At the end of the day, I started to feel like maybe there was something wrong with me. But after 37 years at the company, I was ready to do different things and had saved and planned so I could. Why is that such a crazy concept?!