For secondary school graduates, a gap year before commencing further education is increasingly common. Tertiary level students also commonly have time off their studies, to obtain work experience through corporate internships, to travel or do volunteer work, or participate in an exchange program with an equivalent educational institution in another country.
A sizeable number of young people who take no break prior to entering the workforce, find they want or need one within a few years. Then there are those in the age range late thirties through to early fifties, who find themselves in some kind of mid-life crisis, or simply with a desire to do something different for a short while.
But what about those of us in our sixties, seventies and beyond, entering retirement or a nursing home? Expected to lead tranquil lives, perhaps with family duties such as baby-sitting grandchildren and caring for elderly parents thrown in, our life’s path over ensuing years might seem set in stone.
But why can’t we also have a gap year, or two, to fulfil some unquenched desire still simmering after three or more decades? Travel is the obvious choice, maybe living in one place in another country for much of the time, taking the opportunity to brush up on a language learned through secondary school, to feel part of another local community. Or undertaking some activity that will significantly change our life at home, such as a university course, or a major volunteer role.
There are two main factors worthy of consideration with this topic. Firstly, people of this generation generally have a lot to offer, from their education, plus work and life experience. Many members of the community could benefit from this, and both parties be the winner. Secondly, after decades of work and child-rearing, this age cohort deserves a break, as a reward for past services, and as a source of stimulation for the years ahead.
For newly single people, divorcees and widows/widowers, it can be a chance for a fresh beginning, a springboard into a new life and lifestyle. For those in an established and happy relationship, sharing the experience might well be the obvious choice, and a chance for them to bring a whole new component into their shared lives.
Whatever the reason, a significant period away from one’s usual way of life, either physically away or not, is a worthy item on a bucket list. Some people might be tempted to go well outside their comfort zone, others not at all. Each to their own, the primary objective being to achieve happiness and fulfilment during the experience, which might lead to permanent lifestyle changes, desired or otherwise, or not. Either way, an open mind and welcoming attitude to life will help make the most of it.
© Copyright 2018 SJ Peterson