Retirement. It’s a dream for many Americans, and a reality for those who planned well. There are unfortunately many people who either will never be able to retire, who will die before they retire or perhaps even sadder, die from retirement.
My grandmother was an energetic, progressive woman. Sadly, after she retired her zest for life faded and she passed away much too young. This tragedy burned the fact that I must always stay active, even after I retire. I need to keep chasing my dreams and creating new and challenging goals.
My father will retire next year, and I am so happy and excited for him. He has worked for an Elementary school for over twenty years now. He has given so much of himself to that school and all of the children there. He makes school a fun place for the kids, as well as a safe place to learn. He has been toying around with ideas he wants to do once he retires, but he hasn’t established a plan yet. My dad has been nothing but a supportive and encouraging person in my life, that I really want to try to help him with this difficult decision.
1. Open or buy a summer camp in upstate New York or Colorado, a bowling alley, a birthday party center, a miniature golf course, or a camp ground.
(I am all for him moving away, Texas summers are brutal, and because of global warming are becoming more dangerous.)
2. Travel. My dad would really like to see more of the United States, so maybe getting a small camper and just driving coast to coast would be a good idea. My dad finally got his passport last year, and I would love for him to see the beautiful European cities that I adore so much. However, he doesn’t have the burning desire to see them, so I don’t want to force him. Maybe we can do a family christmas in Paris one year, I think he would like that.
3. Hotel or Bed & Breakfast. My dad has an exceptional eye for finding real estate. Many of the properties I saw in France were at his suggestion. He has found a few good ones here in the states, and if he purchased them, hired a good manager, he would be able to leave them to run it, while he enjoyed the additional income.
4. Volunteer. We’ve talked about him volunteering for some causes that he is passionate about. Education for underprivileged children, diseases,etc etc. I even suggested he join one of those international Teach English Abroad programs.
5. Higher Education. He has toyed around with the idea of going back to college and getting another degree. A few of his proposed options have been Accounting, History, Archaeology, Spanish (language), and even Law. (If anyone ever wonders why I have 100 different goals, all in 100 different directions, here’s your clue!)
My dad is an energetic and active guy, he plays volleyball twice a week, and also plays dominos with his buddies every Sunday night. He reads a minimum of two books a week, and is rven active on the Library board. This makes me happy because I know he won’t sit in front of the TV watching Netflix non-stop. I don’t think I have ever seen my dad lounge in front of the TV longer than an hour, and even then he gets up 5+ times. So, one major thing is that he needs to stay active with whatever he decides to do. My dad has always been a hard worker, I am extremely proud of him and like to think that I inherited my work ethic from him. He could possibly get a part-time job, after he retires, but I really hope he buys his own business. His passion can make any dream come true, and I really want to see him doing something that he loves.
So, if anyone has additional ideas on what to do with retirement, please comment below.
Kevin Nicholas Gavit 