Welcome to Geriatric Park

Is MeToo Affecting You Too?

The MeToo movement has reshaped our cultural landscape, but has it gone too far? Some say even playful banter among peers is now under scrutiny. Imagine being told you can’t refer to your own age group as “dinosaurs” or “old people” without raising eyebrows.

Take Neil Young’s iconic lyrics: “Old man, take a look at my life…” Do we update that to “Elderly person, take a look at my life”? Or how about Simon and Garfunkel’s “Old Friends”? Should it now be, “Elderly Friends, sat on a park bench like bookends”?

Humor aside, aging comes with its own set of challenges—ones that no amount of rebranding can soften. For many, it feels as if society is putting a spin on what retirees already know: “Old age sucks.”

The Golden Years—Or Are They More Pale Yellow?

For most retirees, the so-called “golden years” aren’t as shiny as financial planners make them out to be. Seven years ago, I was compelled to retire. After nearly 25 years with one company, I was handed a severance letter: “Due to changes in our organization…” And just like that, my working life was over.

Retirement wasn’t a goal—it was a surprise. My wife, Kate, and I had no roadmap. We faced a new reality: our combined income would be cut in half while, as we all know, expenses wouldn’t budge.

Still, we adjusted. Selling our 2,000-square-foot brick home, we moved into a smaller manufactured home in Florida. Debt-free, yes—but still, adjusting to our “pale yellow” years wasn’t easy. The so-called freedom to “do all the things you’ve wanted to do” comes at a cost most of us aren’t prepared for, and it takes a lot of adjusting. Still, the challenges did have their benefits.

Geriatric Park: The Bright Side

Despite the challenges, she and I have carved out a satisfying life in what we lovingly call “Life In Geriatric Park.” Our home overlooks a water retention pond (or, as we prefer, “the lake”), where nature keeps us quite entertained: Ducks, otters, turtles, and a wide range of other water fowl, aka. herons, cormorants, aningas, etc., keep us entertained. It’s a front-row seat to the wild kingdom, right from our sunroom windows.

Of course, no park is complete without a star attraction. Our Bentley Rose—our pint-sized, ever-loyal mini-pinscher mix. Boo, as I call her, is the perfect retirement companion: housebroken, quiet, and obedient—qualities I can’t always claim for myself, but when my wife says ‘SIT’, we sit!

A Word of Advice

If you’re not yet retired, but thinking about retirement, don’t fall for the golden-years myth. Start saving early. There is a steep learning curve, so start now. Forced retirement can feel like stepping into the unknown, but with the right mindset, it can be rewarding and maybe even enjoyable once you adapt to the change! The trick is, adapting.

As one wise source (possibly biblical) suggests: “Whether you have a little or a lot, learn to be content with you circumstances.”

Your golden years are what you make of them. Plan well, keep a positive attitude, and find joy in the small things—whether it’s ducks on a pond or a dog named Bentley.