Are we the retiring kind?

Are we the retiring kind? Are you? This is a good question for the ageing to ask ourselves and each other. We can decide our own leisure fun, devoting some time to maintaining our health, skiing the bumps along the way. We seniors who may be the retiring age can seek a friendly peaceful rapport in our attitudes, our households, our local communities and the wide world of humankind, as well as our planet.

Yes, we all wake up with these noble ambitions, to foster health and peace, make wise and temperate decisions, rather than wasting the human synapses in our grey brains. Sometimes, thoughts and comments can get stuffed up during the day, do not ever let them get to you!

For instance, it is best to exercise first thing in the morning, before our senior tendency for enjoying too much couch time in the afternoon and evening. One habit that I personally have found beneficial is to spend a few minutes on Sunday afternoon, or first thing on Monday morning, when I currently write a weekly planner. It is very basic, but I note in any medical appointment, and any social activity for group activities. If we have not as yet totally retired, we can note down any work task or preparation time needed, and allocate a time for any volunteer obligation. After that, I write in any planned home delivery, local jaunts or weekly shopping plans for groceries.

Subsequently, the semi-retired or retired can write a daily list of planned activities, misplace this epic literary effort, or forget to read it. Never mind, these things happen, tomorrow is another day, as a famous quote would say. One habit we wrinklies also have is being creative in diverse ways, possibly in more digitally accessible format. We can learn new skills, or languages, or join any global interest-driven network. For example, on of my creative hobbies is writing poetry, so I contribute my latest verses to my digital pals. There I can say I am accomplishing some virtual prizes of tokens to enter more poetry in their contests.

All harmless fun for enjoying leisure time, each doing what gives us pleasure. It is up to the individual to share their contribution in expressing their influence on shaping their ageing, depending on waking up. Most importantly, being awake and vertical! No need to spit the dummy on anything we do not wish to. So, at our stage or any other age, write down ahead of time what we have to do, or ‘hafta do’. One of my younger family members long ago coined the term, “haftings”, very creative. Creativity is cool.

Another senior suggestion is to plan any family or friend catch-up, according to health and energy levels. Such times can create a happy attitude, leading to joyful days, instead of worrying about things that shall probably never happen. We can continue to grow and develop strong support for each other. Some of us have more socialising preferences than others.

Most of us do not social distance as we did in the past few years. Nonetheless, we retiring types must stay aware of the potential for virus variants evolving, despite our vaccination status. Recently, a couple of my buddies, here and overseas, have taken over six weeks to recover their energy levels from a highly contagious variant of Covid-19. Anyone can still contract that, whether previously experienced or not. My pals are thankfully now definitely on the mend.

Boomers of our age must still be aware that our grandchildren and any social hug bunnies can potentially be carriers of virus clusters of respiratory infections or gastro. Some of the overseas virus variants are arriving in Australia on any airplane, producing health complications so I stick to happy hi-fives only. Not to make a welter of things too much.

I am still dwelling here on a joyful day, enjoying peaceful past times, sharing my more than slightly pacifist beliefs with any reader, and being semi-retired as an online educator of younger generations. This past weekend, my student kindly evaluated my encouragement for their achievements, as ‘highly satisfactory’. Yah, I also aim to guide my tertiary students to evaluate their future in their chosen vocations, hoping to contribute to the future of society, living here in Australia’s land of great opportunities for peaceful diversity. Are we boomers ever ready to retire from anything? Not yet!