Out of It

What does it feel like to be "out of it?" In a room full of people at a retirement party, half of whom you recognize but whose names you can't remember. These were people you used to work with solving problems, making plans, building businesses.

"Hi there, it's so good to see you again... ah...yeah...it's been a while. What are you doing these days..."

"Working. So how's retirement," they reply.

That starts a quick rendition of responses they've come to expect and, I think, resent just a little bit.

"It's great. I'm pretty busy. Don't know how I had time to work. Should have retired sooner, had I known it would be this fun. Volunteering. Grandkids, you know. Traveling a bit. No, Bonnie's adjusted to it pretty well..."

As their eye's begin to glaze, realizing that's a long way off for them, that's when I turn the questions back to what they're doing these days. And that's when I start to feel really out of it.

Most have had a change in role, if not in business, and are feeling the pressure. It's crazy, how fast things are moving.

"Remember so-and-so (kind of), he used to do such-and-such (nope), and how that business was working on this-and-that (not really), well that's all changed..."

As they get deeper into their world, my eyes begin to glaze. New acronyms, or acronyms I can no longer translate. Organizations I can no longer place. Technologies I can no longer link. And all that in just a year and a few months.

The best part? It feels pretty good to be "out of it." I don't need to know. No need to be aware, store it in memory to be added to some to do list, or feel guilty for not being more helpful. The only small pang of guilt I feel is knowing that I'm essentially living off of their efforts and burdens, since it's the results of those efforts that feeds my retirement fund. Then I remember that the results of my efforts those 35 years fed the retirements of those before me. It's a cycle we all hope continues.