I was thinking about retirement today for two reasons:
1 - Grace Coddington has decided at age 74 that she doesn't want to be tied solely to Vogue anymore, but wishes to do other, varied, things;
and
2) Stan Lee. I was thinking of 90 year old Stan because he is still SO active in the Marvel Universe of comics, movies, TV shows and products.
In so many traditional occupations, there is an expectation that an individual "retires" from their work around age 60 or 65.
This is not necessarily the case in the entertainment business, where in-demand talent can work on for decades past their peers in more traditional work places - think Betty White, George Burns, and so on.
Lots of people are thrilled to retire. Now is the time for them to pursue long-buried hobbies (that can now potentially turn into careers), travel, spend more time with their families.
And yet I am intrigued by those who work until the day they die. My great-grandfather worked at his boot factory well into his eighties. Granted, those were the days before pensions, but still, from what I have been told, he loved what he did and going to work made him feel valued and valuable.
I once read a study that said the earlier you retire the longer you live. that no longer seems to be borne out by the facts.
There is research now that indicates people who love what they do may in fact live longer.
The best decision I ever made was to leave my job. Personally, I was so young I do not consider it a retirement but a career transition.
My new job, writing between 30 and 40 hours a week, thrills me. The worst days writing are better than my best days working at my old job (even though I sometimes loved that job very much!)
I guess the key to all things in life is to find something you love and DO IT. Do it hard and with purpose and embrace it.
I hope to live to be a very old lady and I hope to be working the whole way there. Perhaps it won't be 30 or 40 hours a week, but it will be something, and it will make me happy.
Something to think about!
And for those of you on the east coast - hope you are all dug out!
xoxo wendy
