THE RETIREMENT INTERVIEWS #3

I am interviewing several people around “retirement age” to get their individual opinions about their personal experiences.

BILL

I worked with Bill for some twenty years and initially grew closer to him as we talked about our respective travails through divorce. We worked pretty closely together over the last ten years or so and I always think of him as a very thoughtful man with a strong moral conviction to do the right thing. He retired some 18 months ago. We had talked about the process of moving ahead into this next life stage for quite a while before he actually retired.

When Bill left work he joked with people who asked how he would fill his time by responding, “I am going to sit around in my underwear watching TV.” 

In reality, Bill assigned ample time to allow himself to get a feel for how retirement would be, and what might emerge as most compelling. The final year of Bill’s work at the hospital involved increased responsibilities with limited reward and left Bill somewhat regretful about staying on to help out in that role. He notes that he has not had a moment of regret about retirement.

Bill is generally a very frugal person. The joke at work was that he would complain about the price of the cookies at lunch and thus would not buy one. His frugality has allowed him the knowledge that he can live reasonably cheaply, and he has a clear overall plan to manage his resources from here on.

Bill grew up in a large, close-knit family. Family has always been very important to him. He ventured into theology and then social work, and has managed to combine both in his work and in his life perspectives. These are evident also in his rich relationships, sense of humor, and the personal nature of his spiritual pursuits.

Bill has indeed spent time watching old TV shows that he grew up with and has enjoyed re-runs of the Rifleman and more recently Kung Fu. 

These were shows with a life affirming moral tone and continue to appeal to him. He has also continued to enjoy his bee keeping and artisanal honey production. Bill has always been very handy around the house and has been working on home improvements. He is a great cook.  He is a fabulous drummer and has performed in several bands and has also taken on the role of managing his blues band. 

Bill plans to buy a trailer and a vehicle to pull it so that he can fulfill a long-term goal of traveling the USA and Canada exploring the majesty of the National Parks. Bill has fond memories of traveling with his family as a child and as a parent and now looks forward to a leisurely perusal of natural lands with his wife.

SCIMP SUMMARY

Bill maintains social connections through extended family and friends. His creative outlets include his music, his commitment to his apiary, and home improvement. Intellectually Bill explores the spiritual and engages in deep conversations about life’s meaning. He has a very down to earth approach to people and finds meaning in his spirituality, current volunteer work and family relationships. Physically, Bill is involved in healthy life style including playing drums, walking and bicycling.