A Baby Boomer couple from Louisiana have just retired. They, as the old timers used to say, are “taking stock in life.” They are parents and grandparents, but they don't want to be defined by those roles. They were successful in their careers, yet they do not want to be labeled by their professions. They do, however, want to assess what is most important in their lives.
Meanwhile, up in Boston, a Baby Boomer who left corporate life last year is now turning his attention to the classroom. He has joined the faculty of an area college, where he enjoys the interaction with students. He sees himself as a mentor. He likes the thought of taking his life experience, and translating it to the next generation.
These are but two examples of Baby Boomers trying to make their lives about their priorities. They are Baby Boomers who, like others of their generation, are looking for a path forward in their lives. This decision making on how to live one’s life is not an easy task for Baby Boomers. They have seen so much in their lives thus far. They have experienced a changed world, and now they often seem to say that they are not like their grandparents or parents were at this age. But how are they different? One answer is that Baby Boomers are, for the most part, an optimistic generation. They seem to have the mindset that much of their life still lies ahead of them, rather than in rear view mirror. Their grandparents seemed older at the age that Baby Boomers are now. The parents of Baby Boomers seemed to remain longer in the same communities — usually the ones where their Baby Boomer children grew up. Meanwhile Baby Boomers see themselves as explorers, and they have a strong desire to make their lives count.
Baby Boomers are finally starting to understand that at this age and stage, they do not need to conform. They also believe, for the most part, that what makes one Baby Boomer happy may be far different from what makes their generational counterpart happy. Some Baby Boomers love the role of Grandparent-in-Chief, while many other Baby Boomers may be heard muttering under their breath, “I have already raised my children!” Some Baby Boomers are altruistic and devote themselves to doing charity work — they want to continue to make a contribution to society, and this is one way they have chosen to do so. But other Boomers just want to know that they are financially safe, allowing them the opportunity to do many of the things they’ve been wanting to do but have postponed pursuing up until now.
So that brings us back to the couple from Louisiana. They were last seen in Montana, taking life as it comes. The husband, who grew up on the great food that the South offers, likes to explore the neat food places that the road trips bring, may it be a bakery, a great barbeque place, or a great sandwich from a deli. His wife, interesting enough, is a walker — so she likes to stay fit by hiking or walking in the places they visit. This couple also shares a common goal: making each other happy. That might just be what Baby Boomers have discovered — the hidden value of their life partner. This couple married young, and they now have 47 years to show for their shared life experience. They are a couple that just simply like to spend time together.
So as Baby Boomers look forward, they do so from the standpoint of finding health and happiness, and from a desire to be the best that they can be. It is almost as if they are uttering the Lyric, "I only have just begun."
Rick Bava founded and was CEO of the Bava Group, which became the premier communications consulting firm serving the Fortune 500 community. Bava became known for his popular blog columns “Rick Bava on the Baby Boomer Generation.” He is the author of "In Search of the Baby Boomer Generation." For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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