Retirement

FRI., JAN. 15 (13), 1988, 6:58 AM
FARM, STUDY

One of the “features” of your culture, a “luxury” some others cannot afford, is retirement. Now obviously retirement is a necessity, in any social system, when a person can no longer perform the required work, particularly when this is due to physical or mental ill-health. Your culture, however, makes it possible… yea, even encourages… that a person retire rather young and in good health. What do you suppose I, the Holy Spirit, have to say about such a wholly secular matter? Listen and hear, o son.

Retirement may mean, positively, that a person no longer must perform some onerous, strenuous, or stress-producing job. A pension, in one form or another, makes this possible without a descent into poverty. You know of people who have retired who seem to have the resources to do almost anything they want to do. It seems to be a proper reward for years spent working, if one truly worked hard and conscientiously. It can be a loving, caring practice, if a culture can afford to pay people well for doing nothing productive.

Some people must perform jobs that are difficult or that are not right for them, and so retirement may be necessary. Obviously, professional athletes must retire at a very early age, in relation to death, and firefighters, for example, simply must be rather young and vigorous to perform what society requires. In your culture, the nature of a job can change, so that one who has performed well for many years may have to develop new skills and approaches, which can be difficult in the declining years.

On the other hand some persons can perform their job well in older age… perhaps even better than when younger… and yet such may be coerced or actually forced to retire. This can bring disappointment and even bitterness. It need not, but it can. It need not, for there are other spirit-moving tasks that can be done, for personal satisfaction… even for some pay. It is difficult for a culture to function in a way that is of benefit to each individual.

You do not anticipate retiring for several years. You are enjoying your work, and it certainly is not onerous or over-taxing. Its nature is such that you can do it differently in different terms, and no class group is ever exactly like another. Yours is truly a fortunate circumstance, which can rightly be called a blessing. There are certain factors that you cannot control, and so you just must be ready for several alternative futures. The crucial element is that you devote the time and energy to your classes that is necessary to make them good learning experiences for most. Now that perfection is always out of reach.

Know also that you now have your hand rather firmly in Mine, and that I shall be guiding you in these years in which you still are privileged to profess. As I have told you, your main focus must be on spirit, whatever the nature of the course. Bring spirit in as a natural element in the subject matter, and, more importantly, organize and conduct classes in ways that encourage the display and development of spirit. This will afford you the same opportunity, for with such teaching you shall grow in spirit.

I encourage your motivation to manage your money and resources toward a time of retirement, so that the drop in income will not be such a sharp adjustment. Yet this means that you must continue to give to causes and to others rather than increasing your own store of luxuries or lavish activities. The practice of giving must be so established that it cannot be deterred by some lessened income. This is a spiritual challenge, and you should be preparing for it now.

As it looks now, retirement should not be difficult for you. Your style of teaching and relating to persons and groups should carry on over to other settings or could remain, in some altered form, in the university. Or your talents and style may be valued more in some other setting.