Retirements

One cannot live forever or work for ever. One cannot say "I won't retire". One cannot remain young always. One grows old. One has to retire. Even boss retires. Retirement is nothing but "the old order changeth , yielding place to new " Retirement is an achievement. It's really a feather in one's cap. Many times retirement is a time to do what one wanted to do. Retirement isn't mere enjoying . It is to mature more and more and become a perfect human being. One must retire neither early nor late but at appropriate time.It's better to retire when all is well. Retirement is removal or withdrawal from service, office, or business.It's the portion of a person's life during which a person is retired. It's bye bye to an active life. It isn't complete withdrawal from life.

Retirement is only a much needed break. It's much needed rest too. It's a joy of not working .One has to lead life after retirement too.It's not enough simply if we live.Nobody will ask how long we lived but they may like to know how we lived . Human life is precious. We shouldn't allow it to go waste.There must be at least an intention that we must do something in our life. That's how we could give a meaning to our life. That brings contentment to us also. Then only our life would be fruitful and worthwhile. Retirement doesn't mean that all is over. One is seldom like a free bird during retired life. Life gets one firmly bound by it. It's during retirement old age falls. It's at the old age one would have one or another disease. It's when one would be nearer to death . Retirement is latter part of life. Many changes take place especially in life style during it. Many adjustments are to be made to life after retirement. It's better one has flexible nature and makes compromise wherever necessary in this regard . Life would be successful provided retired life is also successful. Whether it's active or retired life how one lived is more important . There's no guarantee that one who is sincere & honest would have a peaceful retired life.

Everyone would like their retired life to be a pleasant one. Many have retirement dreams too. Many plan their retired life. But, retirements are seldom alike.They are varied.They differ from man to man. Retired life of some are long and retired life of some are short. Retired life of some are happy. Retired life of some is neither happy nor distressful. Of course, retired life of some is distressful. After retirement mind of some people works as well as before. All kinds of thoughts arise in minds of some retirees as they are leisurely. Mind of some retirees loses sharpness day by day.

Some do not have time to plan their retired life. Some are afraid of life after retirement. Yet, everyone wants it to be beautiful. It is in fact a period to relax and take rest. It is when one wants to sit back and enjoy the fruits of labor.Feel the breeze, smell the flowers, hear the birds, and appreciate this wonderful life. However the idiom ,man proposes God disposes applies to retired life too. Retired life is mostly unpredictable. It is complex as life is. Majority plan it only from money angle.

More one leads life more one understands it. It teaches numerous lessons. Yet,one couldn't understand life fully.It is full of incidents. When and what type of incidents would take place , it can't be predicted also. They may take place during retired life and affect it too.They make life either pleasant or unpleasant. It's they which make it interesting or disgusting too.Man himself is responsible to many of these incidents. Many of them man holds God responsible. They say that He caused them.To some incidents deeds of previous birth are held responsible.

Lives of people are seldom alike. They are varied.They are different stories.Each person on earth goes through different and varied experiences throughout life. As such retired lives also are varied. They rarely run as one wants them to run. One must be fortunate to enjoy their life after retirement. Destiny plays its part even during life after retirement.Deaths,diseases and problems are in no one's hands. One would be usually physically and mentally fit before retirement. But after retirement day by day one would be physically mentally & emotionally exhausted. Age would have more say on their life. at that time. It is when one would spend more time between the four walls of their house than before. It is also when one would spend more time with their better half than before. It is when only a few members of family would be at home too. Ella Harris rightly says " A retired husband is often a wife's full-time job. "

There are innumerable retirees spread all over the world. Everyday thousands of people retire and make further addition . On the other hand as longevity is improving day by day, number of retirees who leave this world is decreasing . As standard of living is going up lives of retirees are also improving. Society has a soft corner to retirees . Retirees are senior citizens of country. Grey hair is respected everywhere. They enjoy many privileges all across the globe. Privileges are not merely enough to retiree but His blessings are more important to retirees. Raman, Soman and Bhiman are three retirees among many living in Bengaluru. They are living in different parts of Bengaluru. Raman lives in South Bengaluru. Soman lives in North Bengaluru and Bhiman lives in West Bengaluru. They own spacious bungalows. Their families are not big. Everyone of them has two children. They are all retired executives of companies.

Majority of retirees recollect their life on retirement. Raman began his career as a clerk. He was drawing a salary of hundred rupees per month at that time. How much he toiled to become top executive . It was a hard journey forward .What a farewell he had at office. How many showered praises on him. His daughter in law and son came on a car with bouquet and garland to take him home. "Father, you worked all these years for us. Hereafter, you have to sit back and relax " they said . At residence wife welcomed with an arathi and hug. Raman was very fortunate . He was always made to rejoice his retired life by his wife , son ,daughter in law and grand children. He never felt that he had retired. People around could make a life happy or unhappy. A few are as lucky as him. It was a tailor made retired life.God has blessed him in every respect. Surely, one must feel jealous about him.

But lives of Soman and Bhiman were unlike life of Raman either before retirement or after retirement. Soman had not even sandals to wear while attending school. His father had breathed his last during his school days. He continued his studies with great difficulty. He was ambitious. He continued his studies even after employment. His pains and efforts paid him rich dividends. He became a graduate and had an illustrious career. While achieving his goal , he could not get married . His was a late marriage. In fact , he was going bald at the time of marriage. There was big age difference between him and his wife. Moreover, his wife was from an opulent family. Marriages are made in heaven. A retired life could go smoothly only if relationship between an husband and a wife is cordial. After two and half decades of married life . Soman retired from services. He got a big mansion built too. Now Soman' s wife picks up everyday a quarrel with him. Her grouse is age difference. She contends that he spoiled her life. She wants to make his living horrible. She made her husband work like a servant. She wants to take a revenge. In fact , she has made his life a hell. She finds fault with his every move. Everyday husband and wife quarrel for one or another reason.Children cannot advise either father or mother. They are in a dilemma. Soman has started branding women as a necessary evil to the society. This is his retired life.

Retired life of Bhiman is another story. I don't know at what an inauspicious moment Bhiman retired. He could not enjoy the fruits of his hard labor. One or another misfortune fell upon his family. Many days had not passed since he retired his only son was laid down with fever. Doctors could not make out the reason for the fever. They could not diagnose. One by one vital organs failed and one fine morning his son breathed his last. Only six months had passed since this sorrowful incident ,his wife died of heart failure. Bhiman was recovering from these two shocks , when his daughter in law filed a divorce petition against his eldest son. In fact, she divorced him. Bhiman became so disgusted that he sold all his properties. He is now an inmate of an ashram.One need not be afraid of a retirement more than they need to be afraid of circumstances, difficult situations and tough times in life which scare them more.

We come across numerous retirement episodes .Some are good experiences . Some are bad experiences. In short, they contain successes, regrets, and failures . One can benefit a lot from retirement stories. One can learn lessons from them. All is not well in this world. Retired life many times is harder than active life. Majority of retirees deserve sympathies of one kind or another. His blessings are quite necessary to have a peaceful retired life. Without contentment a life would be futile.

Nature adapts itself to climate . Birds, animals adapt themselves to nature. Man must also adapt himself to life.