Embracing A Purposeful Life in Retirement

Once the cake is eaten, the retirement party favors are tossed, and the toasts have been made, we wake up to a new reality: Who am I now that I’m no longer who I used to be? What is my purpose now?

We spend our entire lives preparing for work—investing in a job or career that supports us, provides for our loved ones, and offers financial security. Then, suddenly, we retire. Many folks emerge from the excitement of retirement only to face an unexpected sense of purposelessness. It makes sense. What are we to do?

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, offers some great spiritual direction here. While he never wrote about retirement in the modern sense, Wesley did write about getting older, which usually goes hand in hand with retirement. Wesley didn’t see aging as something to fear but as an opportunity for purposeful living—to continue serving God and doing good until our final breath. A famous quote attributed to Wesley is:

The average lifespan in the US has nearly doubled over the past century, and most of us can expect to spend several decades in elderhood. Imagine living a third of your life or more in old age. Poet Mary Oliver challenges us: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"[1]

If you’re approaching retirement, why wait to explore the possibilities? Start dreaming and experimenting now. Write down ideas for your next chapter. Set aside a few hours each week to try new things, volunteer, or take a class. You’ll be grateful for the time invested in yourself.

If you’re already retired, ask yourself what excites you. What aligns with your values, sparks joy, and gives you a sense of purpose as an elder child of God?

Most of the elders I meet tell me that finding purpose beyond themselves is their top priority. Many have already taken steps toward it—working part-time in a field they love, volunteering for nonprofits, serving the needy, advocating for environmental causes, caregiving, or even going back to school to enter ministry.

None of us is guaranteed another breath, let alone another day, week, or year. And time moves swiftly. Let’s not waste another minute waiting for another minute to come—or, worse yet, wishing our lives away. Until we draw our last breath, we have a purpose, whether in a grand way or in the life of a single person—friend, family, or stranger.

A wise elder asks: What’s my purpose today? How am I striving to fulfill it?

Gary Alan Shockley, a retired elder in the United Methodist Church, is a spiritual director, award-winning artist, and the author of more than a dozen books, including his most recent work, Eldering-The Art of Graceful Aging (www.hopespring.biz). He and his wife, Kim, reside on the western slopes of Colorado.

[1] “The Summer Day,” New and Selected Poems, 1992 Beacon Press, Boston, MA. Copyright 1992 by Mary Oliver. All rights reserved.