Should This Reader Retire?

Gayle Eve McCormick in Lakeland, Florida, writes:

I’m trying to decide whether to retire. I’m 69 years of age, and I love my job. I have more than 40 years of experience in my industry, with much accrued knowledge and wisdom. This helps greatly when I mentor new employees and even experienced ones who need help. The company would get along fine without me, and my husband and I would still have a good income if I retired. My husband is already retired, and he’s been hinting that I should retire, too. If I were to retire now, we could do some things we’ve wanted to do, such as travel abroad, while we’re still in good health. If I continue to work, the opportunity to do certain other things I would enjoy might pass me by. But by retiring, I’d no longer be doing something I love to do. Should I retire or not?

Marilyn responds:

I think you should wait a bit–until you’re sure–because once you retire, you probably wouldn’t be able to reverse that decision. While thinking about this, keep in mind that if the things you’d like to do, such as travel abroad, don’t take much time, they won’t occupy your days for years to come. (And there’s always a chance you won’t enjoy them as much as you think you would.) On the other hand, if what you’d love to do is get an RV and spend months traveling around the country or devote all your time to the hobby you’ve always loved, etc., you may feel safer leaving your job behind permanently. For now, you could try taking more vacation days (and if you don’t have enough, see if you can get some unpaid days off–your retirement days won’t be paid, either). Travel abroad!