July 1 - Retirement, One Year Later.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of my retirement. I worked for a large midwestern computer company for 21 years.

My work took me to over 25 countries and 5 continents. After graduating with a Business degree from The Ohio State University, my employer matched my investment in them with an investment in me. They paid for my MBA and an additional Masters Certificate in Project Management.

As WorldCom and Enron began to dominate the headlines, I became disenchanted with the corporate rat race. Work began to resemble a Dilbert cartoon with the mindless management driven by short-term results at the expense of long tern stability. When I became part of management, my “visions’ were ignored and I felt like a contestant on the probable new show, “Survivor-Corporate America”.

The final straw was when my responsibilities increased that would take me away from my family for more and more nights each month. I decided I could not miss any more family events or milestones. I was tired of paying someone else to raise my kids.

After consultation with the wife, I decided to retire. We knew that if we sacrificed my salary, we would also sacrifice life-style amenities, like a vacation homes, recreational boats, and mid-life crisis induced purchases like Porsches and mistresses.

I was able to negotiate a contract with my wife that would allow me to spend ample time with the children and still enable me to golf, garden, and pursue other interests (i.e. blogging) at least three days a week.

When I announced my retirement, I stated that I wanted to enjoy my four kids and a relaxed life style. My co-workers and friends were shocked and said it wouldn't last a month. Well it's been a year.

My accuracy in prediction would make Nostradamus blush. The return on my family investment would make any Wall Streeter’s head turn.

I could rave about my children’s academic or athletic accomplishments. But I would be no different than any other proud parent.

I could speak of the family field trips to Washington, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and other cities. I could talk about my decreasing golf handicap, the coaching successes, and the size of my tomatoes. But I will save those for my Christmas card.

There are two measures by which I evaluate the success of the last year.

The first is that the last year seemed like the longest year of my 44 years on this planet. I used to always say:

“Where did the day go?” “Boy, that week went fast.”, and “Wow, is it July already?”

Now, every day is a journey or an adventure. Each day takes an enormous amount of attention and patience. Days go on forever and hopefully produce memories that will last as well.

The second measure of success is that every morning and every night, I see many smiles. I get countless hugs. I get the reassurance that I made the best decision, one that no Business school could ever have taught me.

Do I miss work? Sure. I miss the contributions I think I made to my company’s performance. I miss the interaction with other adults.

I now bond with the mailman, the UPS driver, and the sanitation driver (every Thursday).

Only time will tell if it was the right decision for my family and me. But as of now, it’s all good.

In closing, I wanted to share some quotes I’ve collected over the years from an eclectic group of books, movies, and songs.

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save. ~Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. ~Babatunde Olatunji

Life's a journey, not a destination. ~Aerosmith

Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think. ~Chinese Proverb

Every man dies. Not every man really lives. ~Braveheart

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

Let us endeavor to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry. ~Mark Twain

When you get the choice to sit it out or Dance – I hope you Dance ~ Lee Ann Womack

Live long and prosper. ~ Mr. Spock

You win with People ~ Woody Hayes

I guess I’m gonna fade into Bolivian ~ Mike Tyson

Nobody plans to fail, they just fail to plan ~ J. Jay Lewis