Retirement

I just turned fifty-five about a month ago. When I was young, I thought fifty-five was the retirement age and when you started getting senior discounts. However, it seems that age has been pushed to sixty-five or even sixty-seven. Anyway, due to mostly luck, the equity I was given at my current job is more than enough for me to retire.

At work, I have been dropping hints for the past year about retirement. By now, I feel most of the coworkers I am close to know that I plan to walk away at the beginning of 2024. This includes my manager; we have worked together for about twenty years. Of course, the most obvious question is “What are you going to do after you retire?” The answer right now is “I don’t know.”

I do feel like I need to find a part-time job, pick up a hobby, or volunteer for stuff. Otherwise, I will just lie in bed or sit at home in front of a computer. I usually say that I will travel, but being old and single, I do not know how many trips I can take before the lonliness becomes unbearable. I have already balked at the first travel opportunity. My cousin is getting married in Taipei over Christmas. For many months, I thought I was going to attend, even by myself if no one else from my family was going. Over time, I felt this dread of going to Taiwan by myself until I finally RSVPed that I cannot attend. What if I feel this way before every trip? That will take away a large portion of my post-retirement plans. Sigh…