My favorite advice comes from Charles Spurgeon who advised, “Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.”

Psalm 90:12: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (ESV).

What if retirement became a source of renewed purpose for older Americans who decided to share their lives especially with young adults who needed their affirmation, delight, vulnerability, and patience? What would it look like for you to develop a genuine intergenerational friendship with just one young person in your neighborhood?

What if the 87 percent of baby boomers who believe in God decided that a central way they were going to spend their retirement was by mentoring young people through their local church?

The question for people reading a book (like this one) then is not, what will I read next, but with whom will I learn? This might be enrolling in an undergraduate course of studies, it might be joining a church small group, or it might be committing to a senior leadership program. The choice of who you spend your time with will determine more of

The question for us to consider, then, is how might retirement be a time to cultivate both deep learning and deep character?

Plan in a season for another sabbatical.

Who we become is more important than what we know.

Cross-reference your past schedule with your statement about calling.