The Lighter Side Of Retirement
MikeA April 6th, 2009
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Approaching Retirement
Many people approach retirement with a gloomy attitude. They treat it as if it were a surrender to a fate best avoided and debilitating to the spirit. So it is important to try and adopt a spirit of light-heartedness when talking to them, one that might help them face it as something to be accepted, enjoyed even, since it is an inevitable stage in one’s life. “But how?”, I hear you ask. It’s simple: poke fun at retirement!
Overcoming Emotions
- Image by ted.sali via Flickr
Retirement jokes, like the ones said in speeches at retirement gatherings, are always popular. Unfortunately though, there is a tendency for many speakers to become so emotional that it sends everyone in the room into a state of gloom and sympathy. But if you are called upon to speak, you can lighten the atmosphere immediately by introducing a note of humor, without of course insulting the retiree concerned. The key is to ensure that you don’t overdo it, of course.
Fun Gifts
In addition to talking about the wonderful moments you have shared with the retiree, you can add something unique and humorous that will be appreciated by the subject of the gathering as well as by the audience. For example, you might present him or her with a fake headstone with the inscription, “in advance”. Or an appropriate bumper (fender) sticker. They are just examples, of course. You need to give it a little thought but there are no end of possibilities.
Ghostwriters
Some copy providers, known as ‘ghostwriters’, also write and sell personalized retirement speeches, complete with witty jokes, once they understand the personality and interests of the retiree. These people usually add a few jokes about the retiree’s profession. One way of finding someone willing to ghostwrite for you is to do an online search using Google, Yahoo or one of the other search websites.
Your Local Bookstore
If you can’t find any suitable retirement jokes and don’t want to pay for a ghostwriter, a visit to your local bookstore could help. There is an absolute plethora of joke books that cover every topic imaginable, including retirement. A little scan here and there could help inspire you even if you don’t have confidence or are sure you’re not a natural comedian. There may also be good retirement gift ideas there as well. Just remember, helping the retiree have a good laugh is your aim.
Retirement Online
There are also plenty of websites that provide a ton of jokes and and other humorous items such as anecdotes etc. One of the best of these for our purposes is The Retirement Quotes Café, a comprehensive collection of retirement quotes and retirement sayings for all occasions. It is run by Ernie J. Zelinski, author of How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free, which can also be purchased there. They offer a free ebook too called ‘The 237 Best Things Ever Said About Retirement’.
Good Wishes
If you know someone who is coming near to retirement, you might want to send an email or two which have retirement sayings like ‘Retirement is when everyday is Saturday’ and ‘Retirement: goodbye tension, hello pension!’ It is a nice gesture and gives off the sense that you know what the future retiree is going through. Again, relieve the tension as much as possible and encourage him or her to anticipate retirement with a smile and not with a sigh as much as possible.
