A Conversation With Diane- An Aspiring Retiree
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash
I recently took a part-time job answering calls for a credit union, not because I was particularly excited about it, but because I knew it was a practical safety net. Many recent Communication and Marketing graduates struggle to break into the workforce, and I wanted to have something in place just in case.
One day last week, I was seated with Diane, a 63-year-old woman who could barely walk without discomfort. She did her best to convince me that she loved her job, but at the same time, she was counting down the hours until she could go home. At one point, she asked about my senior project, and when I told her it was about retirement, she laughed. I explained that I was interested in the topic because my generation seems to be entering a recession and the idea of retiring one day feels almost impossible. Diane shook her head and said, “Honey, it’s not just you. I’ve accepted that I’m not retiring, at least not anytime soon.”
Before I could respond, my phone rang with an incoming call, and our conversation was cut short. But her words stayed with me. Was this really the reality we live in? A woman who has dedicated nearly 50 years of her life to the American workforce, who can barely make it to the bathroom without pain, has accepted that she may never retire?
For most of my life, I never considered retirement to be a privilege, I assumed it was the natural conclusion to a long career. I had seen older adults around me retire without fail. Now, I understand why they were able to. Both of my grandfathers worked in government jobs, one in the police department, the other in the prison system. One grandmother worked for the city, and the other was employed by the University of Pennsylvania. They all had stable careers with pensions, ensuring their financial security well into their later years.
As I look around me at my coworkers, I realize that retirement isn’t guaranteed for everyone. With pensions disappearing, personal savings falling short, an uncertain Social Security system, and an ever-rising cost of living, more and more people are being forced to live like Diane, working well past the age when they should be resting and enjoying life.
The idea of retirement as a well-earned reward for decades of hard work is fading, and those who deserve it the most may never get to experience it. If that’s the reality for people like Diane, what does that mean for the rest of us?
Thinking about my conversation with Diane sent me, an anxiety-ridden person, into a spiral. I am overwhelmed by the idea of finding a job after college. Now, I must think about if I will be able to find one to actually support me and allow me to retire. If we’re being honest, I have to wonder if retirement will even exist by the time I am all grown up. It even raises a deeper question as to what the societal norms of “working ourselves to death” means in the long run, which seems to be actually happening. For example, my generation is often ridiculed for their prioritization of work-life balance. It is considered selfish by some who say that taking a day off is putting others at a disadvantage. Even if you can’t move from being sick, the idea of calling out seems disrespectful. I lost my voice last week, and I cried after I called out because I was so guilt ridden. But, I felt that I had to, as I work in a Call Center and having a voice to be able to talk to customers is the whole job.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if retirement is becoming more and more far-fetched for generations to come, what is so wrong with taking time to savor the life we have while working? My grandparents worked very hard to retire, and so did Diane. So will my mom, and so will I. If the permanent vacation after the decades of 40 hour weeks isn’t promised, why should I worry so much about calling in sick, or finding the perfect career to spend the rest of my life chasing? It may seem crazy for me at 21 years old, to be thinking so deeply about this, but I hope I am not chasing a fantasy when it comes to retirement. If I am, I hope that I can find a way to use my vacation days along the way without feeling guilty, just in case.
