The temptation of retirement
About Early Retirement
I write as a hobby. The following is one of several writings I have written. I translated it using a translator to study English.
https://brunch.co.kr/@hklee95g/5
"Senior! Let's have a drink.”
"Is something wrong? Did you have a fight with your wife?”
"No, I'm not sure if I should quit."
I got a call from my junior K, who had been out of touch for a while. He said he would receive applications for early retirement package on the condition that the company gives him a three-year salary. Being in his late 40s, he can still work for another 10 years. He said he did his best not long ago and had good results, but he got burned out after he wasn't promoted as an executive. Since then, I have no desire to work and my self-esteem has declined. The three-year salary is equivalent to six years' living expenses. He plans to use the apartment he is living in to get some monthly income and receive pensions from the government after retirement.
"What do you want to do when you retire?”
"I don't want to do anything."
"You don't have to make money, but don't you need something to spend your time with?"
"Just hiking, cycling, traveling and playing golf once a month ... You have to do as much as you want."
"Are you confident you won't regret it?”
"I don't know. But I don't want to die working."
"Are you really going to apply?”
"I'd like to apply. But I have mixed feelings."
If you consider the economic situation, I think it's better to quit when the conditions are good. However, he said that despite the fact he would not be doing anything and his income would be cut off, he still had to pay for apartment management, telecommunications, and local health insurance. His mind was shaken.
"Did you discuss it with your wife?”
"Not yet. I'm going to after I make up my mind.”
"No. Talk to your wife right away. Don't decide by yourself."
I listened to his troubles for a while. After a long time he was very drunk and sent him to a taxi. When he arrived home, he found it hard to convince his wife to agree with him. Another thing is that the junior himself was not very firm in deciding. and he had never mentioned about retirement to his wife.
A few days later, I called him because I was curious about the result.
"Did you really apply for early retirement?"
"No. My wife is going to divorce me if I apply for early retirement.”
I held back my laughter at his dead answer.
When he talked to his wife, she was taken aback and cried. His children who are still in high school, asked him to consider it after they graduate from college and they got jobs. She threatened to divorce him if he retired now. When the junior saw his wife's tears, he came to his senses. Then, my junior looked at me and said in a crawling voice.
"I've lost my affection for the company, I'm not motivated, and I don't have the strength to compete."
"Senior! What should I do?"
"Well, I'm in a similar situation." I said.
I'd rather envy K. I can't believe I can get three years' worth of annual salary if I retire early. I can't get another penny from the company after getting their early retirement package. I sometimes dream of early retirement, too. I've lived a long constricting life working in a company. I've realized that I miss a lot of good things in life such as freedom. However, I can't seem to have the courage to retire yet because of the uncertainty of the future. The loss of business cards is one of the things that I fear. There's no need to explain who I am and what I do if I had a business card.
In other developed countries that have had large ageing society such as us, it is said that preparing for what to do after retirement is much more important than financial preparation. They say the pension system is well-established and has less financial worries. Instead, I think it's important to do something meaningful even after retirement and make sure that you are still useful to the world. On the other hand, I think it's important to do something meaningful after retirement and make sure that you are still useful to the world. Even if a business card disappears, one should be able to confirm his or her presence by doing his or her own work, hobbies, and do volunteer work.
Even if my current business card disappears, if my work is ready and I can confirm my presence, there and then I will resign. I can't wait for that day.
