The frustration of retirement
Thinking that you are going to retire in a year or two can be very frustrating. All of a sudden you want to acquire new skills, get updated and apply it on job. You want to develop new hobbies and interests. You feel the need to read newspapers faster than ever. You want to spend more time outside. You want to know what your kids are doing every day more than ever. You become too choosy about the food you carry in tiffin box. And you go completely nuts if your kid tells you NOT to do something.
You must be thinking why I am talking about retirement at the age of 23. Nope it is not me who is retiring. It is my father who will be retiring soon. But with this big change, in the life of the provider of family, the head, the king and the decision maker all of our lives in the house are changing. How far are we adapting to it is another question.
Let me talk about the person in question here. He has always been the decision maker of this family. My brother and I being kids were obliged to follow them. If he says certain things will happen in certain way, it had to. It kind of still does, with a little rebel and disagreement that he has to face from us. But things are still smooth, I would say. Out of all these changes what came into my notice was a terrific change. I entered home yesterday to know he wants to learn Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
He was sitting there ready with his laptop. I only had time to change clothes and get on with the tutorials. I must say I too got all pepped up and got on with it immediately. Again!!! To my surprise he just was following the instructions and not saying a word while I was explaining. I needed a glass of water so I went in the kitchen leaving him to practice and came back to see he was just repeating the process very sincerely. THIS is the same man who never had patience when I tried to teach him Microsoft Office, 5 years back.
I was just sitting there and wondering what might have brought this change. A person who never listens to anyone is very well learning from his daughter. Why so subtle all of a sudden? It feels strange to see a change in your own parents. Usually, parents see children grow up and change.
Anyway, I would say if he keeps this up he will learn what he wants to very soon. The point is, this feeling that you are going to retire and you might have to depend on someone to write your mails or check internet makes you want to learn things, before hand at any cost. No ego, no hassle.
This is just one phase. I am waiting for the next surprise. Never know when I will get to hear something out of the blue.
Also, just a thought. After working for so many years a person becomes tensed about his retirement then why do we keep crying to do our jobs well when we have a whole life in front of us?
P.S.: Love you Dad.
Image: Google images
Matter of Opinion 