How to Retire

As I walked up to a wedding reception this weekend at a golf club with my "retired" brother, my sister-in-law said to him --"you know Tom, all this could be yours (IE golf...)." Tom later told me that while in theory it could be his life: in practice, it just was not possible.

Instead of heading off to the links, he took retirement and headed off to community. He spends his time and talents working with a variety of non-profit organizations in the region and has started a group called the Great Lakes Green Initiative (GLGI). He put his optics on making a difference.

As I walked into the room for an important community meeting last week, I saw our volunteer chair -- Al Lucarelli --- at the head of the table. This was an early morning meeting over on the west side of Detroit. Al, a little tongue in cheek, said to me, "you know I am supposed to be retired." He hung up his professional career and dedicated his efforts towards working in the community with a college, a hospital and organizations like United Way. He makes those around him better. And for that, the community improves.

These two individuals spend most of their free time serving. They are two of many in this region who work every day to make things a little bit better. A little bit stronger.

What strikes me about both of them, is the vibrancy in their voice, actions and aspirations. They are re framing what it means to "retire." They are helping to create a more visible path on other ways to transition from the "have to list" to the "want to list."

As more and more "boomers" enter retirement, Tom and Al might be modeling what others will want to follow. As Martin Luther King said, "Everyone can be great. Because everyone can serve."

If life's success is measured by what you give, not by what you have, then Al and Tom have a bounty of success. My instincts tell me they have figured out "how to retire."

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.