Retirement
I went to a funeral on Monday. Alan was 80 when he died. He wasn't the easiest man to get on with, but he was a man of deep faith who was passionate about God, the church and the community he lived in. He lived that out everyday.
He retired early when the government department he was working for got folded into another one. He then moved up to Papamoa and got stuck into the local community. He established the Papamoa Soccer club, helped establish the Papamoa Sports Club, was invovled in several community groups, was really active in the mission to seamen (or whatever it is called now) and his local church.
As I sat in his funeral I thought of all those people, bishops included, who just seem to hang on in. My daughter tells stories of accountants who can't let go and retire. And I thought how cool it would be to be able to retire early, like Alan, and to then use all that energy, time and skills to change the community we live in.
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