"As I approach my 88th birthday, it's become apparent to me that my eyes and ears, among other appurtenances, aren't quite what they used to be," said Mr. Wallace, whose birthday is May 9. "The prospect of long flights to wherever in search of whatever are not quite as appealing."I'm in my early-50s and within the past year, a number of my friends have retired. Some have taken on other positions; most haven't.
I look at all this midlife retiring with mixed feelings. I feel as though I've not even scratched the surface of what I want to do or would like to do in my work and so, the prospect of retirement isn't attractive at all. I view retirement in much the same way that a team down two points, but making a furious drive to win, must view the blaring of the horn at the end of a game during March Madness.
Let's face it, retirement, while certainly opening up new possibilities in one's life, is also a sort of death. It's the death of a way of life to which one has grown accustomed. (This is why it's so important for retirees to have some plans and goals. Without aims, too many people wither and then die physically, the promise of their post-retirement lives unfulfilled.)
On the other hand, some of my friends and other fifty-something retirees seem to be approaching the closing of this door as an opening to the sorts of work they really want to do. My problem is that I love the work that I do now. (Most days.)
Mike Wallace must love his work too, else he wouldn't have stayed on to age 88. If you saw his February 12 report on how wounded veterans from the War in Iraq are coping with their injuries, you know that he's still doing great work.
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