Hello LPG, 

Since I retired I have noticed just how many times the media refer to pensioners as if they are from a different race.  It never occurred to   me before, but I have a problem with being referred to as one of  ‘them’ all the time since I retired, even though I admit to having  referred to many of my parents’ generation as members of the ‘them’ club as few as ten years ago.   I hear politicians talking about pensioners as if we are a completely separate part of society, even though I remember having no problem hearing that said in the past. But now, suddenly, I have arrived and I have to say, though little has really changed in my life, I feel a bit excluded.   

I am now 66 and I stopped working five years ago.  I have to say that I don’t really feel like one of ‘them’ yet and hope that I never will.  I thought that leaving work would allow me lots of extra time, but I never seem to have enough hours in the day.  I am beginning to experience a few aches and pains and I do walk a bit more slowly these days.  I now rush out to help with the shopping or babysitting rather than to work, but I still like to do all the things I did in the past.  I now have more time to spend with those of my friends that have retired, but we still have difficulty finding the time to get together; they are always just as busy as I am.

My point is that while I know that there are quite a few ‘them’ clubs that people are allocated to, I don’t feel any different than I did before I stopped going to work every weekday, and though it is nice to be armed with a freedom pass when I get on the bus, I hope that I can remain the only member of my own individual ‘me club’, rather than be placed in a pigeon hole. It is my hope for everyone else on the planet too. 

OC, Lee