Continuing my exploration of retirement, I want to build on my last two blogs and introduce you to my friend Joe. He has a less common approach to retirement. And he has some terrific insights which he has graciously shared.
Joe is an interesting guy. He is 70 years old and worked as a self-employed electrician for 40 years. He retired from that about 10 years ago. He’s well-read, reflective and philosophical. He loves coffee so he went to New York City to take a 5-day course offered by the high-end espresso company Illy to learn about coffee and how to produce a good espresso. Same with gelato. He spent three weeks in Italy learning to make it. He also dances tango.
He says this is of the first phase of his retirement; the years right after he stopped working as an electrician.
“I tried all the things that people usually associate with retirement. I ‘relaxed’. I volunteered. I travelled a bit. But something did not feel right. I felt like I was just filling time until I died and that I was removed from the wheel of living and the bumps that come with it.”
He owns an investment property on Queen Street East in downtown Toronto. He fixed up the commercial space on the lower level and opened a coffee shop. Moss Park Espresso. Now he’s spending time sharing his passion for coffee and gelato with others. He’s back in the real world. And just to prove that he’s taking things at his own pace. He’s open from noon to 6:00 pm – not your usual coffee shop hours.
“I believe we are created to work. By work I mean you need to put honest effort in “the good” whatever that may be. Even when it leads to fatigue at the end of the day, you’re glad you did it. I don’t think getting older changes that. It only shifts where our effort goes and carries meaning for us.”
Joe is single and he admits that his perspective would probably be different if he had a spouse, children and grandchildren. He recognizes that many people his age in those circumstances shift their attention from the job they worked at to their families. But that, he says, fits the description of staying busy at worthwhile meaningful activities that bring people fulfillment.
“A writer I admire says that every time we do something well and with honest effort, we are in fact extending a blessing to our families, neighbours and citizens here and everywhere. That could be anything as small as preparing a loving meal for our family, doing our work – whether that be as a parent, construction worker, doctor etc as best we can; doing something that will benefit the generations to come. We give a blessing to the world when we help raise children to be kind and tolerant. We should never stop these efforts, no matter our age.”
If you’re in Toronto, pop into Moss Park Espresso. You’ll love the coffee. Try the Ricotta and Orange gelato. You’ll love that too. But the best thing you’ll get out of the visit will be your interaction with Joe. His love of a good coffee is surpassed only by his love of people, of life, of a good conversation.
May we all be so fulfilled.