Retirement Life: Escaping the Rat Race

As I write this, I can see bumper-to-bumper traffic on a major street in my city. I’m at Starbucks (might as well use those gift certificates I got at Christmas) and writing this on my Kindle Fire. I remember thinking that was me as I stared at a man in a blue Mazda who appeared to be in a trance. I felt pity.

Those of you still getting up at 5 a.m. and earlier know what I mean when discussing the rat race. The monotony of each day, racing to work, the same work each day, and the number of people you face each day is mind-numbingly monotonous. Rinse, wash, repeat.

There are aspects of my career I miss. I’ve discussed this many times. But after 30 years, I found myself asking, What was it all for? I drove myself to a near-stroke in a corporate job. Deadlines, goals, pressure, combative employees, annual evaluations, and on and on and on. Rinse, wash, repeat.

I finished my cinnamon roll and my $10 cup of coffee and got back in my truck. Horns blaring, people shaking their fists at each other, people desperately trying to get to work on time—and I realized I had my answer.

As I got in my truck to head back home, I realized working 30+ years was to escape that rat race in my rear view mirror (literally and figuratively). Or, at least partly, the reason. For the same reason you need to have money to escape the worries of money, you must also work to eventually escape work someday in the future.

Was it all worth it? Was it worth working through those years of toil and turmoil for peace and tranquility? To live my life as I wish?

A resounding…

…YES.