We’ve been talking about principles and practices that–if understood and followed–can lead to a more satisfying retirement.
In the first two posts of this series, I offered some reminders and gave a few recommendations. (Have you picked up a copy of Bob Buford’s book Halftime yet?)
I also shared several stories about retirees who are finding significance in surprising and creative ways. If you missed either of those posts, you can find them here and here.
In this final post, I want to tell you two more inspiring stories about how a willingness to serve in retirement can lead to more fulfillment.
The Great Equalizer
The great equalizer for all of us is time. You get 24 hours in a day. I get 24 hours in a day. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, gets 24 hours in a day.
The fact is, time is our most precious asset. We only get so much, which is what makes retirement so tantalizing. When we retire, we have what everyone craves–free time to do the things we’re passionate about.
How will you spend all that free time?”
Let me tell you what one retired couple did.
The Park Ranger’s Family
I’m thinking of a man who worked for the National Park Service for 40 years, managing parks across the U.S.. He was a superintendent and a super-smart historian. About 35 years ago, he and his wife had a special needs son.
One of his assignments was in Alaska. The family fell in love with the place, but, as typically happens, the Park Service moved them several times.
When my Park Ranger friend retired, he and his wife asked “What are we going to do now?” That’s when they remembered an organization called GraceWorks with which they became familiar while living in Alaska.
Today, the family spends their summers in Alaska running multiple vacation Bible schools and day camps for inner-city kids in Anchorage, Alaska.
Most people know that Alaska is a beautiful place. Most don’t realize it’s also a dark place. Drug use is rampant. Alcoholism per capita is high. The poverty is unbelievable in some spots. And so this family goes up and coordinates thousands of volunteers who arrive from all over each week to staff the different GraceWorks camps.
Summer is easily the highlight of the year for this family. They spend their off time in the fall and winter helping raise money for the organization. They serve on the board and make sure everything is ready for the upcoming year. They’ve done that now for almost a decade in retirement.
How great is that? They get to be in a place they love. They get to serve people with real needs. They get to do it together as a family. It’s an ideal arrangement. No wonder they are loving retirement!
Here’s another great example.
The Air Force Veteran
I have another client who, before his retirement, was the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. (For the record, that’s the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force.)
This man loves people, and being a veteran himself, he has a big heart for servicemen and women.
Listen to how he has made service a centerpiece of his retirement.
He works with a nonprofit organization called Honor Flight. The group’s mission is to honor older American veterans (i.e., those who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War) for their sacrifice by flying them to Washington, D.C. to visit their respective memorials. This experience is offered at no cost to the participants as a small token of appreciation for their service to our country.
My client leads the Middle Georgia Honor Flight group. This means that six times a year, he leads other volunteers in flying plane loads of these heroes to the nation’s capital to accord them the honor they deserve.
Ask him about the group’s latest “honor flight” and he lights up. You’d be hard-pressed to find another retiree who is more fulfilled.
What about you?
I just told you two stories about retirees who are doing great things for others. But service doesn’t have to be grand or involve hundreds of people for it to be important. As Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
Being a grandparent is an awesome calling. You have so much to give to the generations behind you. I’ve seen people pour into their grandchildren, and that could be your calling too. It could be as simple as taking an active role in their lives, showing up at their events, just being with them whenever you can. We all know that’s the key to any good relationship, the four-letter word, W-I-T-H.
Or, your best service might come from using your gifts and abilities to help in your church or by volunteering at a local charity. For the record, I have never heard of a nonprofit spurning an offer of help.
It’s important in retirement to play, travel, and do fun things. But if that’s all you do, you’ll feel empty. I believe we were created to serve, to do things for others. And here’s what’s fun: With a little creativity, you can turn your passions into service opportunities.
If you love golf, maybe you could help sponsor a charity golf tournament.
If you love traveling in your RV, consider helping out with an organization like Sower Ministry. They connect volunteers (who have RVs or travel trailers) with service opportunities at camps and other ministries throughout the U.S. You might roll in and be asked to help with maintenance or construction. Again, this is a great way to pair your passions with real needs.
In summary, here’s what we’re saying about retirement. If you don’t want to wake up every day feeling anxious and restless, you need a couple things:
- A workable budget (preferably one that you’ve tested before you stopped working). Ideally, you want this retirement spending plan written on paper.
- A meaningful schedule (preferably one that combines activities you enjoy and abilities you possess with needs you see around you). This will give you some direction for your days. And remember, you can always tweak it as you go.
If you have these two things…if your mindset is one of gratitude…and if your determination is to serve others and be a blessing to them…then regardless of what happens, I think it’s safe to say, you’ll have a next chapter full of meaning and purpose.
That’s what we want for you.
As always, if you need help with this sort of planning, visit our website, christycapital.com. There–in the top right corner of the page–you’ll see a green TALK WITH AN ADVISOR button. Click it, and leave us a short message. We’ll be in touch right away.
