Rethinking retirement

The foundation for my argument is now built.  The modern American retirement model seems normal, and everyone advises us to pursue it as hard as we can.  But it is really normal?  Throughout history do we see people working for a certain number of years, and then voluntarily leaving their work and lounging around while still in good health?  Do we see men and women seasoned with wisdom, experience, and understanding, having truly mastered their art, just abandoning it because they hit a certain magic age?  Even today, do other parts of the world see life this way? 

I think normal isn’t really normal.

I’m young, healthy, strong, and have lots of energy right now.  My wife is beautiful and energetic, and my kids are small and filled with wonder at their surroundings.  We have two investment options.

1. We can save lots of money in a retirement account, hope the government doesn’t change the laws and take it, hope it earns interest and grows, hope we maintain good health, hope our community remains peaceful, hope we don’t have a fatal accident, and hope we have enough money to raise our kids and love people around us.  And one day, we’ll get to spend all that money on ourselves doing fun stuff, if everything works out just right.

2. Or we can take most of the money we could be saving for retirement and have more family time to train our children, teach them how to love learning, teach them how to live life joyfully, and teach them skills they will use the rest of their lives.  We could invest in our marriage, going out on dates regularly, having time to hang out, take some inexpensive out-of-town trips, work on dreams and hobbies together, and cultivate our lifelong bond.  We could invest in other people, helping friends in need, giving money to complete strangers, and supporting a local charity or church.  We won’t save much for retirement, but we’ll have built lasting relationships and changed the lives of not only our children, but many others who we were able to touch.

In the next post, I’ll tell you why I think we’ve chosen #1, even though #2 sounds much better.

Better than a roller coaster

I like roller coasters.  Like many of you, I was scared to death of them when I was young, but after the first one, I was addicted to the emotional rush.  The heart pounding, uncomfortable-in-a-good-way feeling.

I also like money, a lot.  As a kid, I was always selling something, or starting a new business doing something.  As I hit my teens, I found that I got so much satisfaction by seeing my bank account grow that I didn’t want to spend any money.  It was a good problem, compared to some others, but I was greedy and a tightwad.  I would hope others would pay for my meal when we went out to eat.

Sometimes I still do.

But the Lord is changing me.  Through several events over the past couple of years, I am learning to enjoy giving money away.  I used to say to God, “Make me a millionaire, and then I’ll have plenty to give away.”  But alas, He doesn’t work that way.  I had to start giving, even when I didn’t have the “extra” money, before I could see the money flow back in.

This is a blog, not a book, and I’m not going to preach.

This morning I was waiting in line at the register, and the lady in front of me didn’t have enough money.  Before she could come up with the other cash she needed, I gave her a bill, and before she could protest, I walked away.  I was grinning and imagining her facial expression even though I couldn’t see it.

I’ve learned that giving money away is a heart pounding rush on the level of a roller coaster.  When I give cash to a stranger who didn’t ask for it, I get the funniest looks.  I’m sure people think I’m really really weird.  That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.  They expect me to ask them to do something for them afterwards, like a scheme.  And they’re baffled when I say, “Here you go.  Bye!” 

If you want to take a risk, affect someone, and have a funny story to tell later, engage in Spontaneous Generosity.  It’s fun.

Have you ever given, or received money from a stranger?  Did it surprise you?