Next Month will be my 11th year after retirement. As of today, I am still very happy and felt accomplished, I will tell you why.
About eleven years ago today, I retired from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before my retirement I was a Chemistry Team Leader for the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs in Silver Spring, Maryland. I considered this job an important venue to contribute my talents and skills to all US consumers and also to all citizens of the world who had purchased anti-infective drug products approved by FDA.
A couple of months after my retirement, I felt useless and missed my co-workers. I also missed the challenge of using my brain in my daily activities as team leader and managing the work of six other FDA employees. This feeling of boredom was slightly alleviated when my wife and I started babysitting for our youngest grand daughter.
Two months after my retirement, a bright idea came to rescue my feeling of inadequacy and uselessness. Why not convert our retirement beach house in the Philippines into a small business-an exclusive beach resort. But, how will I advertised for clients? I decided to create/design a web site. I have no knowledge of creating a web site, but by trial and error, I was able to construct a website, www.chateaudumer.com. I also created another site and I named it http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com
My second activity was to promote the island of Marinduque, Philippines (where our retirement home is located ) as a world tourist destination not only during Holy week but also whole year round. This was achieved via my other two blogs http://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com and http://marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot,com). As a result of this endeavor, I received a letter of Appreciation and Commendation from the Governor of the Province in 2003.
My third activity was to continue in full time mood my volunteer work as a participant/organizer during Marinduque International, Inc medical and dental mission to the province of Marinduque. Along with my spouse, Macrine Nieva Jambalos, we have dedicated our time, resources and hearts to alleviate the medical needs of the poor and needy in the island since our retirement . We have participated to this humanitarian project four times since 2002. I plan again in participating to the next medical mission in Marinduque scheduled for January, 2014.
Last but not least I started writing and blogging. I found this activity relaxing and enjoyable. I had my first article, Marinduque-Ecotourism Capital of the Philippines published in 2009 by www.huliq.com, making me a citizen journalist. This was followed by my two other articles on US National Parks and Monuments and The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant revival in the Philippines. I had also written numerous articles for ViewsHound, now a defunct writing site that was based in UK.
Today, I am also writing for Publish US ( http://pu.blish.us), a writing site based in the US and I also have a page on www.squidoo.com.
May I reiterate that the joy one gets from retirement is very specific. Some enjoy their free time by learning new activities, getting involved with humanitarian projects or spending more time with their grandchildren. Others hate retirement. They missed their coworkers and interaction at work. Others with no children or grandchildren spend their free time on traveling, turning their hobbies into small business or more community involvement. Those that retire and hate it are believed to die earlier than those who enjoy their retirement years.
I suggest you plan your retirement as early as you can. The happier you are on retirement, the longer you will live.
No comments:
Post a Comment