RETIREMENT: JOY AND SADNESS

As I ponder this phase of my life, the masks of tragedy and comedy come to mind.  At this point, it's actually the most convenient and halfhearted  attempt to describe my current predicament.  My retirement!

Briefly, the origin of the comedy tragedy masks is traced back to  the culture of  the Greek theater and has held its own over the centuries.  The concept of the duality of extreme emotions is just as relevant today as it was in ancient times.  Can the twin faces  of joy and sorrow co-exist or is it a continuum or both?  After all, this theater...stage if you will...called life with all its drama, pitfalls, high points and good times; runs the gamut. The cast can be supportive, antagonistic or merely  backdrops to the key actor(s) or actress(es).  So far, you have the well wishers, the hmm.. folks and the ones that I'm feeling a close affinity to at this point.  The one representative statement from the latter group that rings true to me and I quote..."so sad! so glad! so ambivalent!".

The actress on this stage is moi and frankly I'm puzzled by the duality of these extreme feelings about a perfectly common rite of passage for many of us.  One that I've made recommendations about on a professional basis and as a friend or family member.     

**There are types of retirement--early-forced-planned and miscellaneous stuff which means that it's none of our business.  I'm sure there are emotional tags that accompany them, yet, as one whom for the most part has a handle on these kind of things--it's been a daunting and revelatory experience. A process that I must endure or celebrate depending on my frame of mind at the time. I must reconcile all the facets and dynamics with the goal of a peaceful resolution to "life's third act".

I won't belabor this, however, in a future post, I'll revisit and let you know how well I've done with the dual masks of sorrow and joy which to me is an expression of ambivalence.  The latter is one that we aren't comfortable with for somehow it represents a lack of cohesiveness towards a person, thing or event or within ourselves.  It's a pull in opposite directions and the last thing we want interfering with our joy and happiness is sorrow or pain.  Therefore, one of my other tasks for the "third act" is to decide how I choose to respond to what is causing that ambivalence for another aspect of my  goal should be to transform those disparate pieces to a state of wholeness! 

**Links:

Challenges Retiring Baby-Boomers Face

Retirement Problems That Baby-Boomers Are Facing
The Looming Retirement Crisis In The  African-American Community