“Fight for the things that you care about,
but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I am and am not a joiner of groups. I like to facilitate groups and love being in a community. However, you might find this surprising coming from me — I hesitate to join a group.

This morning I thought long and hard about this habit of mine. I woke at an early hour, emerging from a dream. When I awake from dreaming, I like to lie in bed for a few minutes thinking about it and the roots of its message. This morning it involved sorority girls and a campus. I was not in any of the sororities of my dream. They were enjoying a ritual gathering and affirming their tribes with great cheer. Their attire was very colorful and mine very dull. The different groups didn’t think anyone was observing their spring rites. Maybe it was a combination of recognizing the first of May and the news of all the campus protests melded together with my other questions about belonging and finding my soul work.

I know, deep. Or maybe not so much. My role in the dream was to shoulder my responsibility without too much color or celebration. It caused me to consider joining in on the different sororities’ celebrations. I needed to ponder further to ask why I didn’t join when invited.

The answer comes easily. I worry that if I join one group, it will cause me to exclude or be excluded from another group. I wish and want and work for inclusion and fairness. Maybe it is time for me to reframe my mindset.

When I really think about it, I am a member of many groups. I can find my tribe in any situation, anywhere in the world. For me it is easy. I want to spend my time with other people who are honest, kind, and take responsibility for themselves; who want to learn, grow, and explore their inner landscape and the world around us.

The beliefs that have guided me for the 37 years of self-employment are still very much my guides. I believe that people are basically good, well-intentioned, and capable of learning — if they want to. And that collectively, are able to create wondrous things together.

Some have thought me to be naïve or entirely too optimistic. What they don’t see is my clarity of the world and what people are also capable of when they are lost, scared, self-medicating, or using power and control in less than generous and abundant ways. I have seen what human nature can do and be – both in its greatest potential and its darkest motivations.

Yet, I believe in people and have faith in our ability to find a path that can work for everyone. I choose this as my soul work, still.

This long reflection finally gets to the title of this blog. I am joining a group, enthusiastically!

I am following a trend.

Starting in 2008 with the economic collapse, many individuals found themselves unable to retire because their investments and retirement finances had tanked.

I am a member of the tail-end of the boomer generation, entering the age for social security, Medicare, and possible retirement. Yet at 65, what I am experiencing is not the same experience of my parents or grandparents. Social norms have changed. If we have managed our physical and mental well-being, our bodies and minds still have miles to travel. And, most importantly there is a need. A need for our voice in the workforce. A need for us to share and contribute further to little and big initiatives. It is not the time to step down.

Last evening, I enjoyed a dialogue between journalist and author Elizabeth Kolbert and a science faculty member of Case Western Reserve University. The event was hosted by CASE and concerned climate change. Most of the attendees shared my silver hair and years of experience. Elizabeth shared her insights, essays from her current book ‘H is for Hope – Climate Change from A to Z’ and challenged us to not be despairing about the state of the planet, human condition and polarized environment but to stand up, speak up, and start a conversation. Our work is not done, she said, nor do we need to retire and pass on the problems.

I concur.

Choosing to join the ranks of the un-retired is a choice about how to use my time and with whom to spend it. I believe it can include both vocation and avocation until the day I don’t want to get out of bed — or simply can’t.

I have so many role models for this robust approach to the next (but not final) chapter of finding relevance, reinvention, and relationship with activities that fill my heart, utilize my talents, and contribute in ways that do good.

I find myself surrounded by this tribe of un-retired and many new friends, colleagues. and buddies that span the generations. We have more in common than in conflict and need each other to navigate challenges no other generation has experienced.

AARP can wait for me to join their tribe. I have committed to the unretired, fully. No membership card needed.

Will you join me in finding ways to expand our worlds and use your talents?

And don’t forget we will have fun, relax, travel, learn, grow, celebrate, and try new things as well.

In the next blog I am going to share the stories of some of my role models who carry the torch of the unretired. If you have a story, please share it with me, too.

Not dissimilar to my dream state, my writing is a mish-mosh of mixed metaphors. See how many you can find.

What will be your metaphor for the next phase of your work life and life-life?

Leslie

“I’m blessed to have family and friends
filled with so much love, joy, and compassion surrounding me.
As you get older, you realize that this is really the only thing that matters,
and I’ll never take these people for granted.
Hug your kids, call your parents, tell your friends that you love them.”

— Tom Brady