Recently I told of encounters with two friends who, although well past 80, are easily keeping up with, if not ahead of, most people one-half their ages. (Bob and Jane)
Frank Jewett, an ActiveRainer who teaches computer technology to real estate professionals in San Jose, California, read the piece and made a profound observation.
"We need to come up with a new term to replace ‘retirement.' We need a term that captures a continuing sense of purpose and activity for folks who aren't striving to achieve their own obsolescence.
"How about ‘independent,' as in ‘saving up for your independence.'"
Bill, Brilliant comment....thank you for sharing this extreme wisdom with us. I think I'll have to check out Frank's blog....
((-:
Jo
Miss Jo, Brian, Miss Melissa and David and Miss Lisa --
Thanks so much for agreeing that our friend, Frank, made a really good point.
Last year I was a "fly on the wall" as the manager of one of the Dallas Dillard's stores told a man who was 68-years old that he didn't want to take the chance of hiring him as a furniture salesman because he thought the man was too old to learn the store's furniture computer program. Can you imagine? The manager just decided it...just like that. No test, no training, no nothing.
Nevermind that my friend has lived in Dallas for a lifetime and has enormous connections that would have caused him to probably be the top salesman in that department in a matter of nanoseconds.
So my friend wasn't hired at Dillard's, and he told me the positive side of it was that at least that guy had interviewed him when no other places where he had applied, had.
This kind of stuff goes on all of the time, and wish as you may that it's not true, companies encourage it and the government can't seem to put a stop to it.
That's one reason there can't be an end to Social Security. Mountains of those who want to work, need to work and can are immediately overlooked by employers.
Billycherry
Bill, I liked Frank's comment when I first read it, but I can't use it because people that I want to reach wouldn't know I was "targeting" them. If the term could come into general use that would be different. But changing everybody's perception is going to be difficult.
As for your friend the furniture salesman, what he needs is his own store. That way he can use his contacts and networks to his own benefit.
Good luck to him and Happy New Year!
Bill Roberts