Be Happy Retired was a thought that followed – “What do I do now?” I do remember reading a quote from the Dalai Lama days earlier – “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” So it must be, I figured. Yet, “it is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit,” as Denis Waitley had said it. It was a couple of months past a career of more than 40 years. Some describe the start of this period as the autumn of our lives. As in the seasons, some things in life must come to pass. Maybe for a while, we could defer the attention, but eventually, it has to take focus. We can say we ‘graduate’ into retirement, bringing with us all of life’s lessons, relationships, success and failures, and even aspirations for the journey ahead. How will it be if we can report arriving in a calm state and good and better was waiting for us? I think I left my mark on my career, grateful for the opportunities and experiences. But now, I am on that part of the journey seeking the happiness of pursuit. This blog records my journey of sorts, impressions, reflections, observations, lessons, and some more.
For most of us, retirement is the must-stop station that we have to get off in the journey of life. For some, it’s a time of reflection. As we get off, are we in anxiety and fear, or are we feeling confident, even excited? Will we weather a storm? What choices could we have made to arrive in better shape? How well are we prepared for this important phase of life? What are some things to consider? What advice would you give to your younger self? By the way, when do even we start preparing? Is retirement a period of slowing down, or should we take all of the past experiences to jump-start an adventure, a life of dreams? Don’t we deserve happiness when we get to retirement? These and more were my thoughts too. An inspiring poster that caught my eye exhorted – “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” What will I weather in this phase of life? Life’s outcomes are always the results of decisions made from the choices we have. All roads do not necessarily lead to Rome. Happiness is not a destination. While some would say happiness is a state of being, happiness can be a state out of the informed choices we made en route. There is no one way, yet there could be a better way because we are better informed. You won’t find prescriptions here though. Just some musings. Nothing really prepared us for life. Yet every day shows up gloriously with each sunrise. Life indeed happens with each decision we make, from the choices we are presented with. The outcome is that the whole, life itself, is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Every decision made along the way was somehow important. As Steve Jobs would say, you can only connect the dots backward. And then we arrive at this station of ‘retirement.’ So “Be Happy Retired’ is a reflection on a journey.
Thanks that you are here, and thanks for your company. I’m sure you would have your own take on some of these topics, maybe even more. I will appreciate your comments and feedback. Be my guest writer on this blog. I’m sure the visitors to this blog will love to hear from you too.
With Love and Warm Wishes, Farook.