Four retiring friends, more will retiring soon.

I am from the baby boomer's era and if you do a fast calculation, you will know my age. This month of June 2011, I have four friends who is retiring from their job. The feelings is strange and scary. What is waiting for them in the near term ?  They never told me their plans and when you inquire further, they say they will be travelling.  How shall I believe them ?

Two of them is retiring at 55 ,  another 57 and the remaining one at 60. Everyone of them have their own planning and they are not telling as things will change. Travelling is the main agenda on the list.  But, coming to think about it , how often or long can you travel ?  If we like travelling, we should back packed and travel round the world when we are young like those young westerners, we see on the streets of Penang. Travel when your leg can lead or hold you ? Yet, I have seen alot of older men at the airports travelling to China. From their looks, they would be 60 plus or 70 plus. Well, maybe, everyone is working hard to earn more money to travel after their retirement. This is to catch up with the so-called urge to travel or they want to have a "second spring " with SYT there.  Have money will travel , folks.  But, there are certain places we cannot go to see because of our age.  Our heart cannot take it , so they say.

I remember an old friend from school. He was about 53 and worked as  a senior executive with a bank and he died in Nepal while sleeping. It must be the thin air and probably, he is unaware that he was having some allergy or health problem.  He was an active softball player during his younger days and I was in his team playing with the girls. Hey, don't think otherwise but it was fun.  So, he has been gone for 4 years now.

Coming back to my four retiring friends.  One of them is going to  India , one going to UK , one is going to China and remaining one will go into business and travel local. Well, it is better to plan ahead rather than trying to fill in the blanks  when the time comes. When I was travelling in China , the tour guides  were very friendly and always persuade us to buy souvenirs from China. Well, all of us know that they will be earning a commission from our purchases and  they practically brainwash us by saying that we should enjoy our life and don't end up " with our souls in heaven and our money in the banks".  What they are saying is to enjoy while we can and don't wait as tomorrow may not come just like my high school friend .  Very logical but it is our habit  that we always wait until we have the time and the time never come when we are working.

It is a fact, we have to face. We should not be stingy to the extent of torturing our self and we should enjoy with the time and not when the time comes. Folks, I have been waiting for a long time to travel and I envy my retiring friends. But , at the same time, I do not know what lies ahead if I retire.  Maybe, something will come around.  Perhaps.

Namaste.