Choosing Tranquility to Enjoy Your Retirement Life

by Tom Damron
(Plano, Texas)

Several elderly men, all residents of a retirement home nearby, were in the park sitting around a Chessboard. No one seemed interested in playing. To break the monotony, Harold piped up and said, “If you could have one wish, what would you wish for? He pointed at Joshua and said, “Josh, how about you?”

Josh thought for a second and said, “I would wish to be young and marrying my Louise again embarking on life’s journey all over.” Harold and the others nodded and Harold said, “That’s a good one, Josh. A very good one.”

Then Harold looked at Phil and said, “Phil, what would you wish for if you had one wish?” Phil cast a broad smile and said, “I would wish that I had an unlimited amount wishes to use.”

They all laughed and said, “Just like you to be so greedy Phil. Always looking for more.” Phil laughed back and said, “Why not? It is just an exercise with no hope."

Then Phil looked at Harold and said, “Since you started this round, what would be your wish, Hal? You obviously had a point when you started the game.”

Harold, the youngest of the group, who always seemed much wiser than his friends did, hesitated for just a moment before answering, “I would wish to be so tranquil that I would have no need for any wishes.”

They all stared at Harold and then began nodding their heads in unison and agreement that Harold was on the right track.

Harold was merely sharing the fact that fortune is not from owning of a massive amount of gadgets, but comes from having a tranquil life. In Harold’s world he believes that tranquility is not the owning of what you want, but from the accepting of that you already have.”

Tranquility is with us from the day we are born. Undergoing it is not merely realizing it; it is the fact that you are displaying it. We all have it; however, many of us will set up walls to hide it. When we remove those walls, the only thing that remains is our tranquility.

What had we hidden? Well, to start, we had hidden our pleasures. We had covered unnecessary tensions; we buried our annoyances with other people, we did even recognize that we had covered our worries about our family, and about our deeds, we hid hatred brought on by the changes, and we would not declare our uncertainty of others and of our uncertainties. When you unbridle the tranquility within you, you unbar any misinterpretations that frame you. Regardless of any tempests, you should be able to live your life without any peril.

Our own disapproval is the censure for hiding the happiness and tranquility that we own. Freeing ourselves from impertinence will allow the happiness and tranquility to follow to our internal self. We have to put a stop to belittlements and allocating non-existent guilt’s that are only in our own brain.

We deceive ourselves, as we believe we are the center of the World. Because of that belief, we assume the World exists to give us all the pleasures we mandate. That mandate that everything should move forward exactly as we wish is what inevitably leads to our frustration with our life, the anguish we suffer, and all the disappointments that come our way.

There comes a time when we have to start absolutely assuming the responsibility for our unhappiness, our disapprovals, our feeling sorry for ourselves.

We have to step up to accept that we play the major role in refining our attitude, our acceptance that we are now retired and live in a changed new World. It is up to us to make that World a better place for us to thrive.

In addition, that World, in turn, will offer us surprising capabilities that assist us in becoming a better person as both a mentally stronger person and a far more caring person. The moment we become aware of this change, we will experience unlimited tranquility in the way we face the day.

Be wary about gripes that people voice that they are not pleased with their workplace because all their co-workers seem to be ultra-pessimistic. Pessimism is a perceived blockade to peace of mind. However, what we do not understand is that the workplace is not pessimistic, nor is the world pessimistic. A negative attitude exists only in our own minds. It is your conception. It is a judgment you chose to believe. The workplace is people. Those people are just like us. We should not judge them all altogether as very pessimistic people. They are not.

Can we be tranquil all the time? Probably not. However, the surest way to remain tranquil is to appreciate what you already have. Find a venue where you can play a role however small. It will give you meaning to your life and offer you the peace and tranquility you deserve.

Some lose their tranquility by comparing themselves to others; they grow unhappy or envious because others appear to be more fortunate.

Although other people may seem to have the World in their hands, you cannot read their minds and are completely unaware of their serious problems. People have a habit of wearing masks to disguise their real beings. However, if you insist on comparing yourself to others, compare how much better off you are and be thankful for it.

Remember this: Tranquility will help make poor people richer; the lack of tranquility will help make rich people poorer.

Rich or poor. Which will you choose?

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