The End – Retirement
Believe it or not, I was the one who had to convince my wife to move back to Brazil. It wasn’t that she didn’t love it there; the concern was more about job opportunities for our son and the usual safety worries. I was 62 and could take early retirement. I had been at JPMorgan Chase for 17+ years, and I had done everything I could. I was not interested in career growth. I had been working for 40+ years, and I wanted some good years in retirement where I could just do what I wanted. It was at this point that my wife’s dad passed away at 98, and we agreed that wrapping up the job was what we wanted to do and start the next phase.
I remember asking my boss if we could have a quick chat. We sat together in the back corner of the cafe, and I told him I was done, I was retiring. I had the best experience at three great companies. I spent the last 17 years at the best place, with the best team and structure you can imagine, and I was very lucky.
Forty years earlier, my biggest goal was driving a forklift at a Coke warehouse in Salem, and I ended up at one of the largest banks in the world. I started as a tech leader in Digital, then worked at the world’s largest private fund company in between. I don’t think anyone could plan that. I was lucky, but I also worked hard for it. I remember my last day, nobody really knew. I walked out the door, met my boss for lunch, and a few weeks later, we were on a plane to Brazil. My wife does not know this, but she made the dream of retirement come true. I owe all that to her.
Today I spend my days taking a walk to the beach, having a drink at the beach bar, sitting on the pool deck on the 19th floor, or enjoying some of the local food, which is amazing. The lifestyle is just incredible and more than I could ever have imagined. I can truly say I enjoy my retirement. I don’t need a lot, I just enjoy what I have, and my adopted Brazilian family and culture. It was quite the ride.
Thanks for reading BeingKevin.
In a world built on scrolling past everything in seconds, I genuinely appreciate you stopping here for a moment. If the post gave you something to think about, made you laugh, or even made you disagree, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. A quick rating helps, too, and goes a long way toward supporting the site. And if you’d like to help keep BeingKevin going, a small tip is always appreciated — never expected, but deeply valued. Thanks again for being here
Leave a Reply