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Vol.45
Men's Life |
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March 12,2018 |
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On a personal note, my wife had been a social worker for 15 years until last year. She also had served roles such as officer, counselor, and adviser at many organizations, including resident's association, nursing facility, elementary school, and social welfare council.
When I was 70 years old, she said to me, "I think husbands are happy if they die earlier than their wives. Men losing their wives are miserable."
That did not make me angry at all because these are the words from a social worker who watched many elderly people as her calling.
So I asked her when is the best time for me to die, and she replied, "Well, 80 years old." "Oh, you mean I have 10 more years. Why don't you make me a 3,650-day tear-off calendar?" I said.
Four years have passed since then, so I have six years left to live.
Now I remember what she told me when I was in my 30s. Back then, I worked so hard only with an average of less than five hours of sleep. Seeing such a lifestyle of mine, she said to me, "You can retire early. I will work for you then."
In my late 60s, however, she changed her mind, saying, "Men should keep working until they die." She may have meant, in a good way, that it would be better for men to continue working until they die suddenly and painlessly.
Fortunately, I am in good shape and still have a place to work. I currently work about four days a week, but have given some serious thought to how I change this working style and spend the remaining six years.
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