Day 748: 5 Minute Freewrite: Thursday - Prompt: retirement
Hector and Vera had been thinking a lot about retirement. Starting from the time they moved to this new continent, they discovered the idea of having their monthly need provided by the state when they will get old, have to slow down and stop working. What a convenience they have said. From generation to generation, they were the first of their family lines to be able to dream about this luxury of being old and looked after.
After 26 years went by, Vera perceived that the story was no longer as sweet as what they used to hear. She observed that there was no guarantee for her generation to have a proper retirement fund and that they needed to work even longer to be able to be eligible for it. It could be until the age of 62 for most people, who have started to work since they were 16. For Hector, he needed to work until 67 years old to be able to retire and to receive a small pension. But, for a lot of people, most probably they needed to be productive until the age of 72 years, including Vera. Who knew how much by then she could get and if it would even be enough to put a shelter over her head.
The dream was so real that she couldn’t wake herself up to come back to the reality. People were dying but they didn’t die. Hector said that was the problem, that they didn’t fully live but they didn’t passed over either. The elders lost their ability to walk, then they started to forget a lot, and became dependent in so many segments of their life - but they didn’t die as they were consumed by the tales of the old world.
The people of the old world kept on telling themselves that no effort was needed, what they did was right and that was all, they continued their life as if nothing changed. Each of them had the comfort of full retirement benefits and that was working well for them. They complained that their world felt empty even though their super size garage was full of unnecessary things. They have lost their way into futility and exposed their own vulnerability.
What about Hector and Vera? They knew their life was not only for themselves. They took a small tiny house after a long winding road of thoughts and they lived literally from their own garden. They were here as the representatives of the new world and they also acknowledged their responsibility toward the next invitées. So, weren’t we all?
Sending you all a warm blanket of empathy and a cup of loving heart. Stay warm these coming winter months! x
Photo taken from Daumesnil Lake, surrounded by a beautiful promenade and an enchanting forest, just outside Paris.
P.S. My entry for #freewrite. Day 748: 5 Minute Freewrite: Thursday - Prompt: retirement by 