JMO, when your eligible to retire, just do it. You only reach that point one time in your lifetime, so jump on it and embrace it. Prior to my retirement in 2002, I had the
opportunity to be a part of a movement to lobby congress and get our retirement benefits changed to.....30 years accumulated service, retire at age 60 with full benefits.
I have been blessed with good health and made a habit of getting everything checked out every two years with a comprehensive medical evaluation. I was not ever in love
with my job, but loved what I did for a living. I have never missed working, but do keep in touch with my working/retired friends several times a year at a dinner. I love the sound of a train blowing it's whistle at every road crossing. I grew up living next to railroad tracks and always wondered as a child, where do those tracks go. Now I know,
and there were many creeks and rivers running under those tracks that I have visited since retiring. Retirement is exactly what you make of it, and I did know a few men
that lived to railroad. Most are gone now because they couldn't handle not working, never planned for retirement, never had a hobby, and I always tried to get them
interested in an outside activity so they would have something to look forward to when they did retire. Life goes on, and you must make the choice to keep up or get left
behind. Once I had a bucket list, now I realize I need to win the lottery to fulfill a couple of things I wanted to do after I retired. For the most part, my bucket list was a
rather short list. If I were to be lifted up unexpectedly, I would go with a grin on my face. No regrets. I believe in my destination.