The average young man makes up his mind that at fifty or sixty years of
age he will retire and take things easy for the rest of his days. The
average young man makes a great mistake. It is far better to wear out
than to rust out.
To the young man work is a drudge, a necessity to keep him alive. In
middle age work is an accepted thing and we are used to it, and feel
rather the better for having occupation.
In old age work is a necessity to keep the mind and body young.
There is scarcely a more miserable spectacle than the man of fifty or
sixty who has retired with ample fortune. He loafs around the house.
Goes from one club to another. Gets lonely. Feels blue.
He tries to kill time in the day looking forward to the meeting of his
cronies in the evening. The cronies are busy in the day time and they
have engagements and pleasures in the evening, so that our retired
friend seems to be in the way.
He finds that the anticipation of retirement was a pleasure, and that
the realization is a keen disappointment.
"There is nothing," says Carnegie, "absolutely nothing in money beyond
a competence."
When one has enough money to buy things for the home, for his family
comfort and enjoyment, when he has sufficient income to take care of
himself and his family, surplus dollars do not mean much.
The business man should prepare for his future so that if ill health
overtakes him he may have the where-with to surround himself with
comforts, travel and the best of care.
The man who enjoys pleasures of the home and friends, who trains up
young blood to take hold of the business, who travels and enjoys
himself as he goes along has the right idea.
We must learn to enjoy life now instead of waiting for tomorrow, for
tomorrow may never come.
The man who cashes in, puts his money in bonds and retires from all
work goes down hill quickly, and feels he is of no use in the world.
The farmer who moves in town to live on his income is a sorry
individual unless he has a garden and chickens, or buys and sells
farms, or occupies his time with work of some kind.
The retired, non-working farmer who has moved to town gets up in the
morning, goes to see the train come in, whittles a stick, loafs at the
hotel or store, goes to the next train, talks of his rheumatism, goes
to bed at eight o'clock, and the next day goes through the same
rigmarole.
We have all seen these old codgers who have retired. They are not happy
because they have quit their life's habit of work, and are rusting out.
Occupation is the plan of nature to keep man happy, so when you have
all the money you need, have some occupation or hobby to occupy your
time.
The man who retires from any active work is merely counting the days
until he dies.
When old age comes and your body or brain won't let you do or care for
as much as you could in your younger days, then get lighter work or
lighter cares.
Keep busy if it is only raising chickens or gardening, or studying
astronomy or botany.
Keep at it as long as you can. Die in the harness instead of fading
slowly away.
Cultivate the reading habit in your younger days that it may be a
pleasant occupation when your legs and hands grow feeble with age.
When you quit work or occupation of some sort then life has no beauty
for you.