SAMARJEET NARAYAN · @samarjeet_n
21st Oct 2020 from Plume
I turned 70 a few years back, so I’ve had some time to savor the moment. I’ll share a few thoughts:
Pro: You made it to the fabled “3 score and 10”…beats the alternative. You probably have some friends that didn’t make it. You appreciate that fact every day.
Pro & Con: You realize that your life’s “runway” is short and getting shorter so you think about things differently. You can’t put things off like you used to…”if not now, when”
Pro & Con: You appreciate how much good health and physical strength matters. If you are smart you exercise a lot to preserve what you have.
Pro: Your kids will (hopefully) be more solicitous. Mine threw me a surprise party when I turned 70; that was really something.
Pro: You’re not saving for retirement anymore
Con: You are forced to take IRA withdrawals as opposed to doing it when you choose. Finances in general are more constrained
Pro: No one questions that you are a senior citizen entitled to discounts - you look the part.
Pro: Grandchildren
Pro: You appreciate how important friends are and you can devote real time to maintaining relationships
Pro: You have a wealth of accumulated wisdom that you wouldn’t trade for anything
Con: Your body doesn’t always do what your wisdom wants it to do…and frequently complains.
Pro: You likely no longer have a job that controls your life. Your career is a memory not a driving force. You own your personal schedule and can say no to things you don’t want to do.
For me the Pros far out weigh the Cons.