After reaching 60, I would exhale slowly every time I opened my Social Security statement. If you are unfamiliar with it, this document details your earnings from the very beginning when you received your social security number to current. In my case, 1971 was the first year I had to do taxes at age 16. I had actually had a paper route ( I know— “paper route” what is that?) at age 12 but I wasn’t required to get my SSN then. So, good or bad, today this piece of paper represents 50 years of working and paying taxes, hence the deep sigh. In my head I would hum the tune from the Grateful Dead; “What a long strange trip it’s been” while having flashbacks as my eyes scan all those dates. Some were stupid, many were safe, a few might even be considered brilliant and several were just plain lucky. Fact is though, I wouldn’t change a thing. Now, as the clock ticks towards collecting that first social security check, I do find myself saddened, financially at least, that my preferred career is ending on such a depressing note. COVID and related circumstances caused my current book of business to plummet to the point that my social security check, if I chose to take it, would be greater than my current paycheck which made my decision all the easier really. Over those years though it was good to me and my family, providing opportunities I would otherwise not have had, and given me life-long friend at the same time. I imagine there are a number of “Boomers” facing a similar dilemma and for that they have my empathy. At least I have an option which is more than many. As 2020 started, I had numerous personal questions and concerns, mostly revolving around staying motivated but mainly to be considered “relevant.” Primarily, this blog became a platform for a pity party of sorts that revolved around my perception of not being in contention for any promotions. Upon reflection through-out the pandemic, I accepted the truth which is I wasn’t up to the challenge required to run this race and my current situation was fair—and the hard reality that there are those much younger than I that are far more capable—and deserving. This self-analysis intensified mid-March by a slightly bigger issue. What started out as a feeling of self-pity quickly grew into fear. If COVID-19 wasn’t enough to worry about, now we had the global social unrest that smacked everyone of us in the face. We were confronted with two realities now; a deadly virus and all its related consequences and a long overdue demand for proper social justice. A year ago, pre-coronavirus, 2019 showed a strong demand for mature workers. Their knowledge, experience and work ethic made them a desired commodity. Fast forward a year; with the economy in a free-fall, they (we) are expendable and considered a vulnerable class, at least in COVID’s eyes. There are also many more extremely capable people looking for work than a year ago, which also makes us less attractive. It has been humbling to watch this employment pendulum swing from hero to zero in a matter of months. I jokingly tell my boss that at the current rate, I will have to pay him to work there…

I’m not sure what retirement is exactly, or what it looks like in real life. My younger-self perception was that you stop working period at 65 and if you have the resources you travel and play a lot of golf. Don’t get me wrong, that sounds appealing—at least in theory. In my world though, it ain’t gonna happen. Fortunately, I LIKE to work and besides, I need the money. As I’ve mentioned before, we saved and invested reasonably well, the problem was we chased one too many dreams which pretty much killed our bank account. We weren’t naive about doing it and knew the potential consequences. This begs a spin on the question; “Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?” Safe is safe, but it can be boring too. At the end of the day, we always keep pushing at it knowing (or hoping I suppose) we will be ok in the end. During this of course was the retirement clock ticking away… Hitting 60 was my “aha”, or more accurately “oh shit” moment. The last 4 1/2 years have been pretty good and gave my wife and I a little breathing room, allowing us to catch up and even get ahead a little bit. When you are younger, 65 is a million miles away and no worries you think—you still have time. Truthfully, the opportunity for gainful employment isn’t gone, and if you are making fair money and enjoy what you do, I say good for you, stay the course. If not and your situation is more like mine; try something fresh and get excited again—I am.

Not that you’re asking so I will. Any advice to offer? Well… this is more an observation from 50+-years of employment rather than advice. If I were living on a beach with a well-stocked and highly optioned Viking or Hatteras fishing boat at the ready, I would be promoting this as a likely best seller and you would be gladly purchasing it. Since that isn’t the case, here you go. (Initially I wrote and rewrote this part over several days, wanting to sound profound and appear prophetic by impressing the reader with my insight. Blah blah blah. So rather than that, here are my three suggestions.)

Number 1— create a saving mentality. Whether it is a savings account, a 401K or investing, keep a raining day fund AND a build a long-term plan. Do this and you can afford a setback or two and chase the occasional dream. It’s not always easy but at the end of the day no one complains about saving too much money.

Number 2— Do your best to find work you love and get satisfaction from. If it takes education to achieve, do it. Again, no one complains about being too smart. If you stay in a job you hate simply because you are too lazy to try something different, you will never be happy. Like the story of kissing toads to find your prince (or princess), it may take a minute, just never give up.

Number 3—Stay open to new ideas. How do you know that you don’t like something you have never tried? Like my philosophy on food, your favorite flavor is out there just waiting for you to taste it.

I have been choreographing my departure from my current position since I passed my tests to gain my real estate license in late October. From signing with a broker, securing Medicare B, D and Gap, and determining precisely when I will receive my first social security check. Even how I scheduled vacation days on Mondays in January; everything was detailed so I could tell my boss what my plans were when I thought the time was exactly right, probably mid-January. All was going to plan—until a customer, (not even mine really I covered for a colleague on furlough during the first 6 months of the pandemic) told our primary supplier he was “firing” our company. He refused to work with his salesman or us any more. When pressed for a perfect-world scenario to cause him to stay, his answer was quick and Immediate—bring me back. Of course I was flattered and normally this would be good news. The problem is that I am leaving soon, unbeknownst to everyone. I cannot potentially win this customer back and not let him know that I am leaving. Ethically and morally it is a shitty thing to do—I can’t. So as this happens rolling into the holidays, I try to make an appointment with that supplier before Christmas to let him at least know what’s happening. On vacation. I think about telling my boss (remember, this is weeks before I had planned on it) and I get an email reminding me he is gone until after the 1st. So my secret is safe—for now.

Finally, there is Christmas.

My favorite ornament or display is this one. The three dog’s in the manger represent three very special friends we have lost over the years. It started when we lost baby Jesus, and they were “filling” in. The following year we found Jesus but didn’t think he would mind sharing his space. Merry Christmas!