Let's Get Creative and Strike the word "retirement" from Our Mindset.

Society's need to fit octagonal pegs into square holes is archaic.

Migration, monotype - created by artist Michelle Lindblom

Let’s consider what society deems as the next stage of life beyond a structured job or career. The word commonly used to describe this next stage is “retirement.” If you look at the definition of the word retire, it means to rest, go to sleep, withdraw from circulation, go away, remove from active service, and the list goes on.

Sounds like a death sentence.

Historically, when people officially retired, it was often too late for them to truly enjoy the next stage of their lives. They were worn out from working too hard, which frequently resulted in poor physical or mental health. Making a living and supporting their families financially took priority over caring for themselves. Once retired, many were lost, left to roam the confines of their homes with no idea what to do without the purpose of their livelihood.

It’s a damn sad commentary regarding the oft-touted “American Dream”. It's a hell of a dream where our existence outside of work and work-related productivity are not seen as equally valuable. I’m sure you know people who have died shortly after retiring. So, was all that hard work worth it?

Something to ponder.

Think back to your parents, grandparents, even great-grandparents, and how they moved into retirement. Or maybe they didn’t and died unexpectedly, or were forced to relinquish their responsibilities because they were labeled as not productive enough.

Most of my ancestors were farmers and worked until they couldn’t or were lucky enough to have family to take over the hard labor. If not, they sold the farm or rented it out and moved to town, or worse yet, a retirement home, where many endured a slow agonizing death. An early and unnecessary demise, either because all they knew how to do was work the farm, thus losing their purpose. Or maybe their neglected health issues finally caught up with them.

Can you see how the retirement mindset can be viewed as a death sentence? It is a perspective that deprives everyone at that stage of what it means to have a better balance between work and living a life outside of a structured job.

Instead, how about a mindset that moves us into a different and more fulfilling phase of life? A philosophy where we can revisit some of our interests from our youth, such as taking an art class or learning how to play the guitar? Desires we wanted to pursue further, but were squelched by well-intentioned but misguided parental views.

Getting a part-time gig driving for Uber or working at Home Depot because of a love for all things involving building materials. How about being able to travel without the constraints of job responsibilities and needing to get back to work on Monday? Or spending quality time with friends and family near and far. Even going back to college for fun or to pursue another dream career.

It’s uncomfortable to read what I just wrote, because why do we have to choose one over the other? Work and productivity (at least as the United States defines them) directly conflict with what life should and could encompass.

So I start asking myself questions such as, why do people get married if their work lives are on different schedules or career paths? Why do people have children if they can’t spend enough time with them? Why does the majority of the population work tirelessly while corporations make millions and billions off the backs of their employees? Why carry on the family business when the threat of “big-box retail” looms large? Why are the masses toiling to make a living, ultimately leading to burnout, bad health, and little to show for it?

The answers are layered, and the reasons are equally complicated. My career as an art professor enabled me to share the wonders of art with my students and provided me with the time to pursue my artistic interests. It was a win/win. But I also knew when it was time to say “adiós” to teaching, as I realized that higher education was no longer a place where I wanted to be.

It was sapping my energy for many reasons, and I was ready for a change of scenery and purpose. I wanted to expand myself beyond what was becoming too comfortable and routine.

I see and experience life through a slightly different lens. I can experience what I see and feel as sometimes ridiculous, and then respond with a more creative angle, either through art or writing. Viewing the world both as a realist and a believer in our general humanity brings me to the conclusion that we are all in this crazy boat together. At the same time, it reveals the truth that some are on the top deck, soaking up the sun's rays, while others are stuck in the bowels of the boat, trying to get some air.

Wouldn’t it be grand to level the playing field by changing our mindset toward each other? We can begin by not pigeonholing others based on prescribed societal expectations. That is a doable request in which we can each participate.

The beauty of my chosen endeavors is that creating can occur until the day I take my last breath. Even if my brain turns to mush or I suffer from dementia, I will still be able to wield a brush until I physically cannot or don’t want to anymore.

Willem DeKooning worked toward the end of his life, even when the world outside was unfamiliar because of his Alzheimer’s. I saw these later works in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Center in 1996. Dekooning’s world became simplified to the absolute necessities of creating. The essence was just enough to send the viewer into a realm of calm and serenity. At least, that was my perspective, my mindset.

Think about all that can be experienced beyond the constraints of society’s expectations of production and perceived financial stability. Retirement is not the word to describe the next stage of our lives. Evolving, expanding, growing, progressing, and transforming are the action words better suited to describe this next phase.

Or how about we take these actions to heart throughout all phases of our lives?

Thank you for reading.

Image: Migration, 30” x 24” monotype—I chose this piece to accompany the writing because the title itself suggests moving and transitioning through the world naturally. The imagery gives you a sense of this evolution. Enjoy.