“Everyone should have a deep-seated interest or hobby to enrich his mind, add zest to living, and perhaps, depending upon what it is, result in a service to his country.” ~ Dale Carnegie
You might have heard that today, France is in an almost permanent state of political upheaval. The government wants to progressively change the retirement age from 62 to 64, and labor unions are adamantly (and often violently) opposed to it.
But the average life expectancy in France is now 82.18 years, meaning that you will have 20 years to occupy yourself after the holy retirement. It is a long time and for many, it often turns out to be a harsh disillusion. After a short period of exhilaration, many feel bored and restless… and horror of horrors, some even yearn to go back to work.
People, like animals, are creatures of habit. They cannot abruptly stop a life routine without encountering ill side effects. Retirement is often a brutal life disconnect that can be extremely traumatic… It is somewhat akin to swimming: if you quit paddling, you will drown.
If you retire, you need a hobby, otherwise, you will feel lost and make your mate’s life miserable.
“When a man retires, his wife gets twice as much husband for half as much money.” — Chi Chi Rodriguez
To keep everything peaceful on the home front, a human being needs to give his mate (and himself) some breathing space. And the hobby should include a variety of people… to fill the gaping void left by his former colleagues.
In this respect, pétanque is an excellent hobby. You get out of the house, meet friends, get some exercise, and go home happily tired (and unable to start even the slightest argument).
I doubt that anybody could find fault with this. If you don’t want to lose your zest for life, you need to remain active and social.
In conclusion, I would like to quote an extremely capable woman who molded her husband into the 29th President of the United States:
“I have only one real hobby – my husband.” – Florence Harding
How about this?
Alain