<p class="ql-block">For as long as I can remember, the idea of snagging a post-retirement gig has been like a catchy tune stuck in my head, a daydream I couldn't shake loose. I rolled up my sleeves, polished off my resume, and sent it into the great digital void, hoping for a glimmer of hope. But as the days turned into weeks, it became crystal clear that my applications had met the same fate as a message in a bottle tossed into a stormy sea—utterly lost, swallowed up by the abyss of indifference.</p><p class="ql-block"> </p><p class="ql-block">Today, over a pint with an old mate, the harsh reality came crashing down like a ton of bricks. We chewed the fat, and he hit me with a truth bomb: "In this dog-eat-dog world, once you're past your prime, you're yesterday's news. It's the bitter pill we all have to swallow eventually." His words echoed the age-old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind," and it dawned on me that in the cutthroat arena of employment, youth is king, and experience takes a backseat.</p><p class="ql-block"> </p><p class="ql-block">It's a tough pill to swallow, but as Winston Churchill once said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." So, instead of dwelling on the closed doors, I'm choosing to embrace this new chapter with open arms. Retirement isn't the end of the road; it's a chance to rewrite the script, to explore new horizons, and to savor the simple pleasures of life. After all, every cloud has a silver lining, and I'm determined to find mine. Time to hang up my work boots, kick back, and enjoy the golden years—because life's too short to be anything but happy.</p>