Columnist reflects on the first days of retirement and what comes next

A columnist writing in the Mindanao Times series "Honoring My Mother" argues that retirement is far from the carefree stretch many people imagine, and that the first days away from work often bring unsettling questions.

Drawing on conversations with retired tennis friends, the writer notes that outsiders may picture endless games and drinks in the sun. But with most people retiring between 60 and 65, the columnist says daily play is hard on ageing bodies and no longer simply fun.

The writer argues that roughly forty years of a nine-to-five routine quietly takes a toll. The years between a first job and a first day of retirement, the column says, can blur together, so that new retirees are left wondering what happened to all that time and then asking, "Where to now?"

The columnist observes that some people plan ahead, such as dreaming of a farm raising gamecocks, but that life does not always follow the plan. Some retirees may instead end up in a retirement home or a hospital bed.

Rather than trying to start over, the writer suggests adopting the attitude "It is what it is," holding on to lessons learned and aiming to live a pleasant life in the shorter journey ahead.

The column closes by encouraging retirees to help others do the same, citing a saying credited to Muhammad Ali that helping others is the rent one pays for a room on earth.