It is something I think about regularly and a very important part of my life. When do I stop work? What is the strategy? I look around at my workplace and see men over 60 (my father included) and I wonder what they are in it for? The simple answer is money of course. I've seen some wonderful colleagues die in service before they had even one day of retirement. What an injustice. The pension companies talk to us about our target age of retirement. 60? 62? 65? They seem to suggest we are guaranteed to live this long. We aren't. If I was told my death age was 53 what reaction would I have to this news? This is my point. I consider each day spent beyond 50 years old as a slave to the wage packet one too many. This is my goal: retire before I'm 55. I don't care if I'm not quite rich enough. As far as I am concerned when you don't want anything you're the richest man in the world. The training therefore is: reduce your cravings and desires rather than working to achieve material wealth and property. Simplify and declutter yourself. With each possesion you get rid of you feel more and more freedom. The trappings of the modern upbringing slain like a dragon.
In Buddhism the 'middle way' is not being a strict ascetic monk taking yourself to the extremes of sensory deprivation, hunger and thirst; nor is it overindulgence in food, drink and luxuries. Therefore the average person should try to see what is reasonably attainable and stick to a realistic and sensible plan for retirement. If you become comfortable with reducing down to the 'monk level' then this is great but the average person may not want to go that far. The tendency should be to scale down in my opinion.
If feathering your nest is your thing, and it is mine at this point in my family's life, do it whilst you're young enough to put the long hours in. These old men working full time really have either missed the boat in their younger days or are deluding themselves into believing that the extra 2 years service will be worthwhile. You're a long time dead.
In Buddhism the 'middle way' is not being a strict ascetic monk taking yourself to the extremes of sensory deprivation, hunger and thirst; nor is it overindulgence in food, drink and luxuries. Therefore the average person should try to see what is reasonably attainable and stick to a realistic and sensible plan for retirement. If you become comfortable with reducing down to the 'monk level' then this is great but the average person may not want to go that far. The tendency should be to scale down in my opinion.
If feathering your nest is your thing, and it is mine at this point in my family's life, do it whilst you're young enough to put the long hours in. These old men working full time really have either missed the boat in their younger days or are deluding themselves into believing that the extra 2 years service will be worthwhile. You're a long time dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment