On Aging and Retirement

(Response to Peter Imber's latest homemade cartoon)

Not sure why, but many of your homemade cartoons (and really your commentaries following) trigger a response from me.  And while I knew that you were younger than me, the difference is not as much as I had guessed.

I was forced into retirement at age 74, in 2010.  I did enjoy the work I was doing, for which I got a good deal of acknowledgement, and had no driving urge to do anything else, and was somewhat concerned about “out-living” my retirement investments/pension/social security, and so I was reluctant to retire.

Then I had a serious bout of Menieres disease (intense spells of dizziness and nausea), which made it impossible to continue working.  I was very lucky; the aerospace company I was working for had a downturn, and offered all employees of 65 a pretty fat special retirement package, so I grabbed it.

With not much planning for what to do next, over the next year I became depressed.  I ultimately went on an anti-depressant (still on it), and joined a men’s support group, and got some volunteer work going, and things began to turn around.  And since then, retirement has been overall an enjoyable time.  And now, with COVID, I am even more relaxed with less to do (though feeling a little antsy at times).

And I totally agree with you, with the “why stop?” comment.  I too have made this to a couple of friends when they brought up the subject of retirement.

Loved your reminiscence about using the radiators at Dartmouth to warm up your Bubbie’s knishes.

And yes, sometimes my body feels like I’m 90+, and sometimes my head feels like I’m 19.

Keep the cartoons coming.