Boomers are reinventing retirement, I'm going to bartending school

I've always been troubled by the concept of growing old. Traditionally, it's coming to terms with death that scares most people. In my situation, it's coming to terms with the way I'm going to live.

When I think about retirement, I think about the grandparents of my generation – lonely, isolated and fairly unaware of what is really going on in the world around them. Sure, they might watch more news than any other age group, but think about it. Listening to what the media feeds us with little outdoor social interaction makes this planet out to be a terrifying place.

The other night after work, I hit up a local pub with my dad for a few beers. We got into a conversation with an older bartender, probably in his mid-60s, who was a retired salesman for AT&T. Turns out, he couldn't imagine himself in a world where he just settled down. He needed to do something with his "golden years." So he and his wife worked at this bar. He was the barkeep and she was a waitress. My fear of growing up seemed a little less warranted.

Last night on NBC Nightly News there was a story about how Boomers are never going to retire. Not because they don't want to, but because they can't afford to. As much as I empathize with this situation, maybe there's some light at the end of the tunnel.

Call me naïve, but the trend of not being able to retire may bring some much needed respect back to our elders. Let's stop thinking of retirement as the point we stop working and begin thinking of it as the point of reinventing.

As a twentysomething, I have a long ways to go, but when I reach the point of retirement, I'm not going to call it quits. I think that represents the end of me. I'm going to reinvent myself – pursue a passion. Maybe I'll become a bartender like my friend at the local pub who inspired me to write this piece. Maybe I'll take my enthusiasm for cooking to the next level and become a chef. I don't know what I will feel like doing forty-some years down the road, but it won't be sitting on my couch watching the Game Show Network.

It's inspiring when I hear members of my parent's generation talk about doing something with their "elderly-hood." The other day, a co-worker was telling me how she and her husband are going to open a bed and breakfast. Ryan Healy's parents have something up their sleeve too. As for my parents, I don't dare get into age issues…but I know they're not planning on settling down either.

I'll leave you with this. I love my grandparents, but when I thought about how their generation retired, it frightened me. I want to continue to contribute to society as long as I can, or else what the hell am I even here for? Eventually our bodies will get the best of us and we will have to call it quits. Until then, you'll find me serving drinks at the local pub