Today, retirement age isn't necessarily age 65. Many seniors are putting off retirement age beyond the traditional age we have held for many years. Besides, 65 isn't the full retirement age anyway. I think it's 66.5 now. They raised it on us a few years ago...I am pretty sure that is accurate.

There are a couple of reasons many seniors aren't diving into retirement as soon as they are eligible. One, the promise of a relaxing and stress-free retirement life has been replaced for many due to the fact that so many people in the red zone are not ready to retire because they can't afford it. Others are afraid their savings and investments won't keep up with inflation and might have to re-enter the workforce after age 65. Yikes!

And others simply don't know what they would do with themselves for 10 hours a day. So today, age 65 is now just another year in an ongoing career, and retirement has no set time frame.

So, how do you evaluate your circumstances to know if it is time to retire? more

I saw a couple of RVs this morning. Thought about the places they'd be seeing, and ones I'd love to see after retirement. For a brief moment I was already there.

Then I remembered how it was when we owned an RV....

Don't know if I've mentioned it but we bought a rescue dog awhile back. We took him to 'training' and the trainer came right out and said that some dogs aren't happy, they don't have a good quality of life, they won't improve and it is better for them if you just euthanize them.

Ever feel that way?

 We recently moved into a new 55+ community and it hit me...we don't know anyone in the area and we're getting older.

We went around and introduced ourselves to the closest neighbors and found that they are all at least 10 years older, most are 20 years older than us.

How important is it to make new friends after retirement in the community you live in? Or is it? Are you planning on having your kids run over every time you have a problem? Or do you have enough money to pay a handyman every time your sprinklers spring a leak?

Seniors have always shared a variety of concerns that should unite us regardless of race, gender or religion. According to experts, these are the most common concerns of retirees:

* Health: Not only are seniors concerned with medical needs, they are often forced to choose between paying rent, utilities or food and purchasing much needed prescription medications. We keep hearing from the politicians that seniors are getting a free ride when it comes to medical care. We aren’t.  First, we have paid into Medicare our entire working career, and now that we are retired we still pay.  And we are often forced to put off some much needed treatments and medical procedures because they are cost prohibitive.

* Vulnerability: Criminals looking for an easy target and that includes white collar crime.  Oftentimes they prey on retirees who become targets for fraud, identity theft and even physical assaults.

* Finances:  Most seniors today are asking themselves if they will have enough money to live on during their entire retirement life.

Not only do we have to worry about our health care costs while we are healthy enough to take care of ourselves. We worry about the possibility that we may need long-term health care. We worry that we may have an unexpected emergency. All of which causes stress.

And all of this is happening while inflation continues to rise at a much higher rate than social security payments.

Seniors limited to Social Security or Pension payments are in a particularly bad predicament.

* Relationships:  As we age and move into the new stage of our lives there are also concerns about our relationships. What are we going to talk about after retirement? What are we going to do now that the kids are gone and we’re home together all day? What is going to happen to our sex life? Will there be one?

As we age, and our health declines one partner is often handed the task, opportunity, or combination of the two, of taking care of the other. This takes a toll on even the best relationships because it puts so much pressure on the caregiver. more

The death of one of the people in a relationship who are in love is devastating in many ways. The first is grief. The second if fear. The third is loneliness.  There could even be a fourth; taking on all of the household and financial responsibilities themselves.

This is a nice addition to our library of true stories about retirement life.
Last  Cab Ride of the night….

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.  After waiting a few minutes I honked again.

 Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just  driving away. Instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived there for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said.

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me  an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through  downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh,  I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'  The doctor says I don't have very long.'

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds.   She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes, she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a  portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.  They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said.

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light..  Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.. 

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?  What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? 

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But some of our greatest moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider insignificant or small.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM  FEEL.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.