I know a man who retired from work two years ago. He had his own business.
He was glad to be done working. He didn't have to get up early and go to work. He didn't have to take off work to go somewhere. He didn't need to worry about finding the materials he needed to do his job. He was happy he didn't have customers to keep happy.
However, he had not given a lot of thought to what he would do after he retired. Since his wife was still employed, he began to wash dishes for her, and he started to clean the house. But, he still had lots of time on his hands. Besides, he had gained a lot of weight. The man didn't realize how little exercise he had gotten while he was working.
Turns out he decided to go back to work--for someone else.
Retirement has its ups and downs. Sweetheart and I can attest to that. We really enjoy being able to sleep as long as we want each morning, but we can't spend all of our lives in bed. We need to have a reason to get up and start the day.
There's a lot of freedom in being retired. It's a time when a person has the time to do things he/she couldn't do when younger. Trouble is, a person's health may prevent that. And, sometimes, it's hard to find something to do.
I hate to hear someone say about someone who has a hobby, "At least it keeps him busy." I believe we were born to do more than keep busy. I believe each of us has a unique purpose in life.
Some people have figured that out by the time they retire and some people believe their lives have no value after they are no longer working.
I once had a friend who lived until she was in her 90's. One day, as I was driving us to visit a friend, she looked at me and said, "I don't know why the Lord let me live this long."
I told her. "He must still have work for you to do."
Not all work is for personal gain or support. Maybe a person's position in retirement is to be an excellent example to others, to show them the lessons they have learned in life, and to help them avoid the pitfalls. Maybe their work is to get involved in humanitarian causes--to volunteer or to donate.
And, maybe, it is the work of all of us to make the world a better place.
I had a religious education instructor once who said, "We are all on a pilgrimage to heaven--our own and that of the people of God." Let's help each other get there.
We can make this world a better place by getting involved with Convention of States Action and helping to restore "God's Country" by bringing about amendments to the US Constitution to limit the authority of the federal government; institute term limits for all federal officials; and demand fiscal responsibility.
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