When someone who is years away from retirement thinks about it, she might envision it as a worry-free time when the obligations of work, raising children, and the hustle of daily life fade into a never-ending blur of sunshine, golf, and cruises. The reality for most is quite different. Fortunately.
I left my job two years ago and this month my wife will leave hers. This July will be the first month that neither of us has been paid a salary in 35 years. Although we believe that we are prepared for this day financially and psychologically, one doesn’t really know. The things I used to worry about are being replaced with new ones.
What will happen with the economy, the stock market, inflation?
What will happen if/when we encounter a major health issue?
What will happen if a pipe bursts while we are traveling?
What will happen?
I find myself frequently drawing on the Buddhist story of the man with 84 problems.
A man, hoping to attain true happiness, travels for several days to visit a famous monk for guidance.
“I have a pretty good life,” he says. “But you know, sometimes my wife and I squabble, sometimes the kids get on my nerves. I struggle to make enough to pay the bills and buy food. All of these things prevent me from being truly happy.”
The monk says, “Yes, everyone has 84 problems and I might help you solve one or two of these but even if I do, there will be new problems to take their place and you will still have 84 problems.”
The man gets angry and says, “What good are you? You can’t help me! Why did I bothering traveling all this way?” He gets up and starts to leave.
She says, “You are right. I can’t help you with most of your problems. In fact, I can’t help you with 83 of the 84 problems. But I can help you with the 84th problem.”
“The 84th problem!” the man says, exasperated, “What is the 84th problem?”
The monk smiles. “You don’t wish to have any problems,” she says.
Whatever stage of life we are in, the work is solving problems. That is all the work there is. We solve one problem, then another, then another, then another. Solving problems is what, for better or for worse, has led humanity to its current level of knowledge of the world and our mastery of it, if indeed we can be said to be the masters of anything.
Yet this is precisely what may lead us to joy because solving problems or rather trying to solve them, whether for oneself or for others, gives one a sense of purpose.
It may be the only thing that does.