I have been asked to give my perspective on retirement and share it with my union brothers and sisters.  Since I am a fairly recent retiree (November 2003) I have an insight to both worlds.  These thoughts are my opinions, along with input I have gathered from other retirees, both in the automotive industry and from others from different walks of life.  With so many former co-workers contemplating retirement in the near future, perhaps I can give some insight to what life is like after General Motors.  Feel free to contact me about any questions you may have.  My address will be at the end of this story. 

The memory of sliding my legs out of a warm bed and looking at the alarm clock which read 2:15 a.m. is becoming more distant.  I remember looking out the window at the freshly fallen snow and wondering, “Why did I tell them I’d come in at 3 a.m.?”  Overtime can make a man do strange things!

Now I spend nights where I’m floating in my pool (85 degrees) and staring up at the sky to see the stars.  My lanai is screened in so there are no pesky bugs to bother me.  The sweet smell of jasmine fills the air.  Tranquility covers me as I hear the gentle comforting sound of palm tree fronds as they dance in the soft breeze. 

I get a chance to reflect on the day’s events.  Maybe I think about the awesome sunset we witnessed that evening as we sat in the gazebo at the harbor.  Perhaps the memory of the day’s events that included a softball game, volleyball game, bike ride, or even just the conversation I had with a neighbor as we sat in his lanai and shared a cool beverage.  Later, I may sit in my recliner in the lanai and watch TV.

In any event, the life of a retiree can be very rewarding if things are planned out carefully.  After years of being a slave to a clock and being governed by the dreaded “white shirt”, many times the first instinct of the newly retired is to decide to do nothing at all.  After years of hard labor, the idea of doing nothing sounds pretty good.  However, there is a problem with that kind of thinking.  We are machines that can’t just put the brakes on and stop working.  The idea of a long breakfast over the morning paper is nice, but what are we going to do with the rest of the day?

For years we knew what our routine was going to be.  We knew our jobs, our fellow workers, and what was going to happen after work that evening.  Now all of a sudden, we have about nine extra hours to fill (eight working and one for travel).

Many retirees plan to play golf, hunt, or fish in their new found time.  That’s wonderful, but those activities are best when shared with our friends.  That can be a problem if many of our friends are still working and can’t decide to just go golfing at the spur of the moment.  New friends must be found with those same interests.

Spending time with our families and grandkids are important and valuable things in life.  But the kids are working too and many times the grandkids are in school, so they are unavailable.  Remodeling the basement or garage, or even working in the yard are important activities to keep our self busy, but once they are done, what’s next?  How many times can we cut our grass and pull weeds in a week?

In retirement, there are emotional, physical, and mental changes that take place.  How we deal with them determines greatly how we will spend our years in retirement.  The noble goals and dreams, along with our hobbies, can only last so long.  We have been programmed for at least the past 30 years to work and have a need to work.

The need isn’t based on money, but on self worth and pride.  We have self worth in knowing that we have helped produce something of value that is useful and wanted by a consumer.  Pride comes from knowing that we have done a good job and are a valuable part in the process of producing that item.

Emotionally and mentally we still need to have that self worth and pride in our retirement.  We need that reason to get up in the morning and do something of value and contribute to society.  Many of my friends are doing jobs without any stress and are filled with satisfaction.  Some are bagging groceries at the local grocery store, others are working a couple of days a week cleaning swimming pools, or working as security guards at the local mall.

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It isn’t about the money.  It is nice to have a few extra dollars to play with every week, but the reason behind these jobs are to have purpose in life and enjoy working without worrying about how much money you need to make.  Most schools and hospitals need volunteers.  The job of helping others can’t be measured by a paycheck. 

There are emotional issues to consider once we are retired.  Many of us hired in at about the same age and grew old together.  We celebrated weddings, births, and other milestones together.  Many times we were closer to our fellow employees than we were to our own families, just because we shared so much time and life with each other.

Once we are retired, we no longer are a part of that family.  The daily events that we were a part of are still continuing, but without us.  It’s like pulling my hand out of a bucket of water and seeing how big of a hole I leave.  It all fills in, and signs of my presence are gone.  The friendships we take with us and continue into retirement are invaluable.  It is a link to the past, which guides us into the future.

The law of muscles states, “That which is used, grows.  That which isn’t used, atrophies.”  Our brain is a muscle.  Our legs and arms have muscles and are used so as not to lose the strength we will need for the rest of our lives.  We must also exercise our brain.  Learning different skills or hobbies, such as playing a musical instrument can keep us mentally alert.  Studies have shown that continued mental exercise can help in slowing or stopping disorders later in life such as dementia and other related problems that afflict so many of our senior citizens.

When I think of the possibilities for continued health while living in a cold climate where it is so easy to just “cocoon” in the winter, I am so glad to live in Florida.  Here, activities are established with the older person in mind.  I’m fortunate to play softball two mornings and two evenings a week.  I enjoy three hours of volleyball every Tuesday and Thursday morning.  I coach a Little League baseball team, and I am also the regional sales manager for an apparel company.  I have the opportunity to be active outdoors every day, which has helped in my total overall health.  Living in the south makes it easier to continue physical health.  Mental and emotional health is easier when we have physical wellbeing.

There are adjustments to be made with any life changing event.  With proper thought and planning, these can be the best years of our lives.  Know that our lives will be different and be prepared for these changes.  Using an automotive analogy, “There is only so much tread on the tire.”  Don’t use it all up working, save some for yourself for your joy ride through retirement.

Now that you know a little about what it is like to be retired, the decision of when to retire is important to consider.  I don’t really know if there is a bad or wrong time to retire.  It is a personal decision that you and your spouse must carefully consider.  Their lives are also affected by your decision.  The adjustment to “twice as much spouse and half as much money” can be a hard adjustment to make.

Some people wait until their kids are out of college to retire, others wait until their house is paid off, or their cottage is paid for.  Others wait until they reach a particular age or until their spouse can retire.  I retired with two daughters in college and two girls in elementary school.  My wife is nowhere near retirement age, and I was only 53 when I retired.  It’s a different set of circumstances for everyone.

I haven’t met anyone yet who has said they wished they would have worked longer.  Many of my friends were there and still are working yet today.  For me, every day was like a social club.  I wondered if I could adjust to retirement since I truly enjoyed working at the plant.  With the anticipation and adventure of a new life outside of the shop, the transition has been very easy for me.  No regrets whatsoever. 

When you make your plans for retirement, realize that there will be changes in nearly all aspects of your life.  There will be physical, mental, emotional, financial, and many other changes to make.  Be prepared for them, and your life after General Motors will be a rewarding and comfortable transition. 

Sincerely,

Steve “Big Daddy” Knapp

25335 Tether Lane

Punta Gorda, FL  33983

sbigdaddyknapp@aol.com