Lughnasa \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0State Fair Moon<\/p>\n
Suppose tomorrow someone came to you and said, “From now on you no longer have to use the education, skills and experience you’ve accumulated over your lifetime. \u00a0Good luck.” \u00a0They might have added, “And here’s a gold watch to keep track of time until, well, you don’t need to anymore.”<\/p>\n
Our received understanding of retirement remains that of a life period where the things you worked and sacrificed to learn all of a sudden become so much baggage better left at the station. \u00a0It’s what our financial counselor Ruth Hayden calls the finish line model of retirement. \u00a0“Whew.” \u00a0We wipe our brows. \u00a0“Glad that’s over. \u00a0Martha, my slippers.”<\/p>\n
It’s no longer like that. \u00a0Hasn’t been for a long time. \u00a0Some people, many people, will have to work a lot longer. \u00a0Others don’t, but still shuttle into the afteroffice with no idea of what comes next. \u00a0Perhaps when life expectancy after retirement was shorter, it was typically 18 months among working class retirees in my hometown of Alexandria, Indiana, the no plan might work. \u00a0Some television. \u00a0Some fishing. \u00a0Some cards. \u00a0A few beers. \u00a0That trip to Las Vegas. \u00a0Then, that trip to Happy Hill Cemetery. \u00a0 Even then I suspect there were many long nights and longer weeks, weeks of wondering what on earth I’m doing still on earth, for heaven’s sake.<\/p>\n
Now, with healthspan increasing and lifespan reaching 20-25 years post-retirement, it definitely won’t be enough. \u00a0This next phase, call it the Afteroffice or the third phase, has as many years as the other two phases, roughly, and certainly enough years that it needs to have a plan, a what I’m up to now contract with yourself and those around you family, friends, community.<\/p>\n
After a first phase which emphasized preparation and a second phase which underlined practice, what is the third phase or the Afteroffice theme? \u00a0There could be many answers and there will certainly be a vast diversity of paths, but it seems likely that the dominant motif will be soul work.<\/p>\n
Define soul however you want. \u00a0Which is just what I’ll try to do in my next post in this series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lughnasa \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0State Fair Moon Suppose tomorrow someone came to you and said, “From now on you no longer have to use the education, skills and experience you’ve accumulated … Continue reading The Afteroffice, or Retirement? Really…<\/span>