opinion
28 • November 2012
I’m not retired, just retreaded Do you remember all those old people who used to irritate you by driving their cars too slowly or by walking with their shopping carts right in the middle of the aisle? At the time, all you could think of was getting around them, right? You know the ones I mean — the ones who were always reminiscing about times you didn't know or care about? Well, guess what. I looked in the mirror the other day, and I have become one of them. It is not that easy to boom like a baby boomer anymore. I thought it wouldn't happen to me. But here I am, and I have to make the best of it. The idea of retirement, or in my case, selective reduction, was not supposed to be in my vocabulary. I figured I would probably retire in my 80s. I used to design restaurants and lived in southern California. At the time of my retirement, most of my friends were divorcing their wives or vice versa, and marrying a spouse the square root of their age. Perhaps they were attempting to recapture their youth? My problem was I didn't notice I was getting older. Age crept up on me without my awareness. What I did notice was the addition of aches and pains, gray hairs, and as I previously mentioned, thoughts of the past. Since the average salary for the work you do after you retire is usually about one third of what you previously made, I have been attempting to re-invent myself, or stated in a more respectable way, to retread myself. No, I don't want to drive a bus for a hotel to pick up customers at the airport or drop them off at restaurants. No, I don't want to greet people at the front door of a retail establishment. And no, I don't want to do allnight security for some establishment that will treat me like a number rather than a person. Though all these jobs I have mentioned are honorable and keep bread on the table, they are just not for me.
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The Current
Citizenship comes with responsibilities, privileges
By Burke Horner Current guest column
By Dan Dunne Current guest column
It has been fulfilling to look for new and different vocational avenues. Through volunteering to work with challenged children, teaching them how to ride horses or rekindling my desire to increase my stamina through weight lifting, attending a Navy Seal training called TRX, or swimming, I have been able to maintain my sanity while being retired and unemployed. What has been, for me, the most phenomenal and rewarding challenge is my interest in learning to ballroom dance. I became a widower three years ago, and for a while I was not sure what my future might bring. I had relocated my wife and youngest daughter to Washington state so that my wife, my son and his family could see each other more often. Though we had never been on the eastern side of Washington state before, we found ourselves on the border of Idaho, in a beautiful little community called Liberty Lake. While I had always wanted to learn the fundamentals of dance for most of 40 years, I was predominantly a human post that my wife would dance around. I barely moved my feet. Not a very classy dance move but adequate for my wife's needs. After my wife's death, I discovered through the newspaper that my community had different activities available to all ages. I found that dancing lessons, at economical prices, were available. What amazed me was that there were actually younger people than I who were klutzy dancers, too, and that we shared a similar need to unklutz ourselves. What also amazed me was the camaraderie that existed between those of us who were on a quest to learn and perfect the different types of dances. No, I had no desire to become a member of "Dancing with the Stars" or any other talent show. I just wanted to learn to dance. With the exception of my close neighbors, I hardly knew anyone in our new locale. But once I began dancing, I found something magical occurring. The other dance students were becoming my friends. And one of them, who is far younger than I am, is now far more than a friend to me. We have a little group now that we call "Team Five." We dine, dance and travel together, something I never thought would be possible in my advancing years. But it has happened, and the pain of loss I felt before has been replaced by laughter like I never would have believed was possible.
See RETREADED, page 29
Think for a moment about a club you know of or want to be a part of — and what being a member of that club is like. For some, that may be a sports team, a school or a tightknit group of friends. Becoming a part of that club takes a certain measure of effort, and being part of it provides rewards. When we consider the political bands which connect us with one another as a sort of club, we refer to the quality of being in that club as citizenship. Citizenship begins at a local level, like being a part of the neighborhood you live in. It extends to a town or city, and on a grand scale, you are a citizen of the state and country which you call home. Being a member or citizen of these “clubs” grants you an amazing set of privileges and rights, but demands your participation. Being a part of the neighborhood you live in may not have a formal definition, but the best of neighborhoods have character and qualities people are proud of. Though “Browne’s Addition” or “South Hill” may not be as wellknown as “Hyde Park” or “Capitol Hill,” people use these names with pride and actively want to be recognized as having a home or business there. Being a part of a great neighborhood means taking care of it by doing things like picking up trash, being friendly to your neighbor and participating in activities and events which make it the place you want to live or work. Your home and school is located in a city and county, and because of that you get an amazing set of services provided by those municipal organizations. Cities and counties provide law enforcement and fire departments, utilities like electrical power and water, and even parks and libraries. Membership or citizenship in these organizations requires obeying local laws and paying appropriate taxes on things like owning property and sales transactions. Citizenship in the state and country in which we live provides amazing benefits and privileges, some of which we take for granted. The 14th Amendment of our nation’s constitution defines: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the juris-
diction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Membership — citizenship — in the United States is a privilege which millions of people around the world wish they could obtain. Simply stated, being a citizen of our nation provides you the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our constitution declares that you are free to speak and write what you wish; you may choose to follow a religion of your choice; you may read and publish the ideas of your choice. We as a people, acting through our government, will protect you from harm: from evildoers within or beyond our borders. You will be given justice by rule of law and judged by a jury of your peers. You will be rescued if you are injured, fed if you are hungry and given an education. There are a small set of responsibilities and duties which come with these rights and privileges. You are responsible to vote according to your will. Your vote implies your responsibility to be well informed of the issues which you are asked to vote on. You are responsible when called upon to support our justice system: to serve as a jury member or to serve as a witness. It is your duty to obey laws — the rules of our country, our state and of our cities and towns. It is also your duty to pay taxes, and when and if called upon, to join our military in defense of our nation. To some extent, citizenship also calls for patriotism: to speak and act with pride for our nation. Citizenship at local levels, regional levels and national levels provides amazing rights and benefits in exchange for participation in a small but important set of actions. Be sure to lead and encourage those around you to live up to their citizenship and participate! In Washington State — we vote by mail — be sure to mail or deposit your ballot in a ballot box by Nov. 6! Dan Dunne is a city of Liberty Lake council member and board member for Spokane Area Youth Choirs. He has earned degrees from the University of Washington and Gonzaga University and has enjoyed a 20-year career in engineering and product development. Dunne is the father of two boys and a loving husband. He volunteers his time at Liberty Lake Elementary School, Greenacres Middle School and Spokane Public Radio. This column was written as part of a monthly series highlighting the PACE (Partners Advancing Character Education) trait of the month, which is “citizenship.”