LETTTER | Purposeful living towards longevity

LETTER | Many find their post-retirement days dauntingly challenging and stressful. Those who held high positions suddenly faced the stark reality of the life of an ordinary nobody.

While huge sums of retirement funds and savings still allow them the usual lavish lifestyle, albeit with slightly reduced spending liberty, other facets of post-retirement days present a completely different set of parameters.

Some might see the onset of age-related sicknesses and disorders. Yet others might find joy in pursuing hobbies that they yearned to indulge in or find contentment in being happy babysitters and doting grandparents.

Retirement simply means the expiry of gainful employment - a universal scenario with indiscriminate application. This new phase of life holds different meanings to different people, besetting all retirees indiscriminately with fear or favour. And how each faces these challenges varies according to his current physical and financial disposition and outlook.

The transition may be seamless and graceful to some while others need time and effort to adjust accordingly. Yet others find the onset of retirement extremely difficult to accept as it is presented without the familiar job specifications and standard operations procedure.

Except for those who have inherently deficient immunity and have been sickly, there seems to be a positive correlation between longevity and purposeful living among retirees. Regardless of how post-retirement time is utilised, how long one lives after retirement hinges heavily on one’s purpose.

The general observation indicates that living purposefully is a definitive happiness indicator and helps steer retirees in a new and fulfilling direction.

It could be happily doting grandchildren showering them with stress-free time and affection. It could be travelling to the many places which you had wanted with your blessed other half or it could well be the much-loved gardening you missed during your busy days. Some take up part-time jobs or freelance their expertise just to keep busy and be useful.

Many retirees who indulge heavily in watching TV and lazing around recede into age-related sickness and disabilities and are bedridden soon after, and before we know it, they expire and leave this world to join “Old Black Joe”.

Our final journey should be happy, purposeful and fulfilling. This is a simple and achievable legacy we should leave behind.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.