60-and-Counting

What are some of your worst fears now that you’re in your 60s or 70s, retired and no longer working?

It’s accepted that retirement brings both relief and fear. It’s unfamiliar territory for many, and if we’re honest, this is the stage when our lifelong habits whether good or bad, begin to catch up with us. Eating patterns, financial planning, self-care, and mental wellbeing all become relevant.

So what if your adult life was more stressful and anxious than joyful and free? What kind of retirement have you set yourself up for? Often, we reach the “old age” party only to feel it’s too late to change anything.

One of the biggest fear for most retirees is running out of money. With rising living costs, escalating medical expenses, and no fixed income, many worry their savings won’t last. The idea of becoming financially dependent on children or the state is terrifying.

An even bigger fear is declining health, the onset of chronic illnesses and the cost of care. Public healthcare is overcrowded, private care is expensive, and the fear of diseases like diabetes, arthritis, or dementia are real concerns. Some struggle to afford medication or proper treatment, and many end up in homes or hospices.

So before independence slips away and while mobility and memory  still remain, make it your mission to find joy while you’re still here.

To ward off loneliness and isolation, especially as friends pass, families move abroad, and social circles shrink, make connection a priority. Engage, reach out, join something. Whether it’s Facebook groups, gardening, painting, or creative writing, find your tribe. Many older people feel forgotten, especially when children have emigrated. But meaning can still be found in shared laughter, purpose, and people.

Other fears are just as real: home invasions, scams targeting the elderly, and constant insecurity. Many older South Africans live in vigilance, especially those alone, anxious about safety, power cuts, or water outages. The stress can be immense, particularly for those dependent on medical equipment.

Add loss of purpose, family conflict, or abandonment to the mix, and the story can feel grim.
But what if … you choose your own narrative?
What if you spin the tale of mortality and morbidity into something magical?

How, you might ask, when you’re older than you’ve ever been, achier than you’d like, and your wallet’s seen better days?

Two words: Belief.
And Prayer.

If, by 60, you still aren’t convinced of the Master’s hand in your affairs, if you still believe it all rests on your shoulders, then nothing I say will change your mind.

But if life has ever surprised you… if you’ve ever felt the earth move with a kiss or been moved to tears by love, or reunited unexpectedly with a long lost friend as if the universe had been conspiring behind your back... Then, my friend, you are about to embark on the most wonderful journey of your life. Creaking knees, forgetful mind and all, you’re standing right at the starting line.

Because this life on earth? It’s just the airport before the flight to your promised destination. Your bags are packed; your outfit is comfy and fabulous, and you’ve just been upgraded.

Some might call me crazy, but life has taught me one unshakable truth:
I am only the vehicle through which miracles and magic are made.

Had I been in control, I’d still be living at No. 26. But destiny had other plans...She took this girl from the Cape Flats and flung me far and wide, all around the world and, one day, she’ll take me back home, greyer, achier, more forgetful perhaps, but grateful.

And glowing with gratitude.