Are You still working?


Its interesting when a generation X or a millennial collides with a baby boomer. I personally am a young baby boomer (64).and the other day I went to a visit to a specialist doctor who was in his early forties. He asked me if I was still working  and he asked where I practiced as well. I replied that I was still practicing in Manhattan.

He looked surprised by my answer and I  am not sure whether I should be flattered or insulted by his question and surprised reaction. My gut feeling is that the generations that follow the baby boomers can't wait for us to retire and make more room for their generation Unfortunately for them, many of us feel no obligation to give up our careers and explore a non forced retirement. Short of a medical condition that impairs with my ability to perform, I see no good reason to seek an "early retirement" since I find my career and work to be engrossing and frankly retirement and the lack of responsibility that goes with it,  is not all that attractive to me. Furthermore, continuing education and learning to incorporate new technology keeps me engaged and keeps dentistry fresh.

Going into work and treating my patients is a responsibility I welcome, since I find that serving a useful function in my community gives my life continued meaning and keeps me from pondering the issues of my eventual mortality as well.

As to the generations that follow, I offer the following advice.  If you are fortunate, you will  get to my age or older, and at that point you may understand us better . I remember how I felt about my elders when I was younger, but my feelings are modified now that I have gotten older. It is a basic truth that we sometimes don't understand others, who are different, until we ourselves experience what they have.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2017/10/are-you-still-working.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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