What does “the adventure goes on” actually mean?

I’m working on finding ways to imbue my existence with meaning and purpose. 

I caught this salmon this afternoon on Lake Superior with my friend Scott, who is also “sort of” retired, or at least taking a break from professional activities. The fish will be our dinner and the process of fishing satisfies some other hunger.

We’ve discussed the process of adjusting to whatever this new reality is, recognizing that while “Retirement” carries connotations of freedom, sunset walks on the beach, etc. the positives are a bit more fuzzy. Maybe that’s why all fairy tales end with “Happily ever after.” Appropriately vague.

It’s been suggested to me that I continue documenting this journey even when there’s no externally evident “journey.”  Journeys don’t have to move a person from one physical location to another — don’t metaphorical journeys deserve examinations as well?

“Okay,” I thought — I’m thinking about this, I’m writing it down, why not share?” People can look at it or look away, their participation is subject to their own free choice. Although it wasn’t entirely clear to me if the suggestion to continue to write was intended for publication or writing for its own sake, there is little additional effort to clicking “post”. 

Now, I’ve been thinking about the question, what does work provide, that is lost in retirement? For me it breaks down to three things that work provides:

1: Identity. For thirty years I’ve been identified and largely self-identified by the work I do. No longer.  What do I do? Is what I DID important? 

But what about who I am? I’m also a husband, and a father, and a son, and a brother, and a friend, and quite possibly, to some people, a frustrating dilemma!

2: Meaning, or purpose. This is related to identity, but different. How am I justifying my existence on this planet? What, of my various skills, is providing a positive contribution to humanity? Whose life am I enriching? 

When I was working, this was a given: my work provided the daily task with critical purpose. I don’t write this because I undervalue my current role in my family: on the contrary, that role is extremely important. But I guess it’s taken for granted and maybe it shouldn’t be.

3: Financial security. Ever since starting to earn money through my labour, I’ve saved.  Well, when I had borrowed money, I paid off debts (student loans, purchase of vehicle — and motorcycle of course — and shortly thereafter, a mortgage).  But even while paying off the mortgage, I always ensured that some of my earnings would go directly into an investment account. I am still receiving my salary, for the next few months, via foregone holiday and severance stipend, so I’m still investing and saving. I’m being paid as if I were still working. But in a few months, that all stops. Then, rather than building my accounts, I’ll be drawing them down.  The concept is scary.  Even though my calculations suggest I will have sufficient means, it feels like a leaky prospect, where eventually I’ll have nothing left. Then I’ll be eating cat food?

As all three of these work related factors are mitigated by continuing with “semi-retirement,” my plans include some professional projects on the horizon. Meanwhile, I will work to fill in my non-working time with activities that are meaningful to me, and learn to find a new identity that reflects the new roles I find, and clarify the financial elements of a lifestyle that can be sustained.  

Working with my hands provides some of the engagement I seek. So for example working on my motorbikes, even doing difficult tasks like mounting a tire on a wheel, isn’t boring for me but is satisfying to complete. Ironically, the harder the job, the greater the sense of accomplishment.   

Writing this blog over the past few weeks has provided a pleasurable outlet and an opportunity to reflect on some recent life experiences while sharing some of the considerations that got me here. 

So I think I’ll continue to write and if people are curious, or interested, or want to offer observations of their own, you will be welcome to do so. 

Likely some readers will lose interest through the lack of meaningful motorcycle madness, but that’s fine. This isn’t planned develop into philosophical treatise but who knows? What I expect that this will be is a public journal of self-indulgent reflections. So, please don’t feel obliged to read on!! Or do. . . Your choice. 

 I might stop writing at any point, anyway. Also, I’m sure that there will be more adventures to come, in a traditional sense. I’ll try to write about them, too.