By Kevin Hillier
I have always found the concept of retirement an interesting source of contemplation and conversation. For some, it is a choice. Others have it foisted upon them. I doubt I will ever formally retire – it just has no appeal to me at the moment.
The definition of retirement varies, but it mostly revolves around the words age and usefulness.
I understand escaping from the drudgeries of working life, which is why I have always done many and varied things in my career to avoid that very thing.
But I am lucky. My line of work provides an array of opportunities.
I also work in an industry that is not physically demanding, such as a manual trade, and I enjoy the luxury of being self employed. My retired friends tell me they are busy with one thing or another, and enjoying the lifestyle, especially those with grandchildren.
Economics certainly dictate the style of your later life. We can’t all afford to be hopping from one luxury cruise ship to the next. Each generation is being asked to take more responsibility for funding itself, with the expectation of a government funded-retirement fading quickly into the distance.
Superannuation has always bewildered me (and many others I suspect) because of the sheer volume of paperwork associated with every minor detail. It is as if the finance people wanted to keep us in dire need of their services to make sure their retirement was comfortable.
Retirement means a new form of living arrangement for many – retirement villages.
What a booming industry it is. The villages are like cruise ships without the seasickness and boarding passes. They boast multiple sports and activities, pools, live entertainment, shopping tours and, probably the biggest selling point, human contact.
Work gives you a purpose, a destination and the chance to communicate with others. The importance of those in our day-to-day lives should never be lost in the transition to retirement. It is, after all, a retirement for life, not from life.
