Retirement By Tim Bryce

I went back for my 30th High School reunion in Cincinnati a few years ago. I went back for the 20th also and it was interesting; most of the people were still trying to impress each other as to how successful they had become. I also found it amusing to see how those who were heavy into drugs during high school had all found Jesus. Nonetheless, it was a lot more casual at our 30th reunion. Nobody was trying to impress anyone anymore, except to show pictures of their kids graduating from college, getting married, or their first set of grand kids. In a way, it reminded me of the camaraderie we shared while in high school.

Something that caught me off guard though, was an old friend of mine who played fullback on our football team, confided in me that he was getting ready to retire. Being only 48 at the time, this caught me completely off guard and I looked at him incredulously. It was the first time I had heard the word mentioned among guys my age. I had not really given it much thought. I'm sure we'll all eventually retire at some point, but at 48? Yea, my friend was going to sell his house in Cincinnati and move to Phoenix where it was warmer with a
very nice pension from Proctor and Gamble where he worked.

The idea of retirement is a strange one for me. My grandmother worked as a secretary in an architect's office into her 80's when the architect finally retired and closed the office. My parents never retired either, so I guess it is a bit odd for me to think about retirement. I've been lucky so far, I've enjoyed my work and can't imagine totally giving it up. I have an illustrator friend from high school who feels the same way I do. You've probably seen his work in a lot of national magazines and book covers; he also does the back cover of the Readers Digest. To him, his artwork is a natural extension of his life and he'll probably continue to do so until he drops over, not because he has to, but because he wants to.
Some people believe life begins at retirement. I don't. I see it as the beginning of the end.

As Malcolm Forbes said, “Retirement kills more people than hard work ever did.” I realize not everyone shares my view on this, but then again a lot of people have been working at jobs for years they never truly liked and were only there to collect a paycheck. I guess I see my professional life as a natural extension of my personal life. Frankly, the thought of retirement is repugnant to me. I like conducting business with different companies all over the world, and meeting new people. It stimulates and challenges me. Retirement? Forget it.
Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

Tim Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the field. He can be reached either at timb001@phmainstreet.com