Note: Welcome to all the new readers who found us from the article I did at MarketWatch this week.  I’m glad to have you on board.  In today’s post I’m sharing that article with IR readers, so sorry if you’ve already seen it.

I have always looked up to Theodor Geisel, better known to millions as Dr. Seuss.  As a writer myself, one of the qualities I admire most was his ability to take complex ideas (e.g. learning to read, racial equality, materialism) and make them engaging and easy to understand for readers (e.g. The Cat in the Hat, The Sneetches, How the Grinch Stole Christmas).

Having read a biography on Seuss, I knew that his birthday was just around the corner (March 2), which got me thinking: If Seuss were still with us, how might he have used his considerable talents to explain a complicated and sometimes boring topic like retirement planning?

Of course we’ll never know, but I thought I’d use his rhyming and poetic meter as inspiration and take a stab at it myself.  The result is the poem below called ‘Someday’ is Here!

‘Someday’ is Here!     [Click here for an illustrated version]

Finally!
You’ve made it.
After 40 years and a day
Of working and toiling and slaving away.

You’ve got money in the bank
And time on your hands
Now is the time to make some great plans.

There’s only on problem
A big concern, really.
If you want a great life then you really must hurry.

You see, all these years
You’ve heard experts opining
That your primary worry should be money and timing.

Those are vital, for sure.
But, take care to remember
If life were a calendar
You’d be in September.

The clock keeps on ticking
It gets louder each year.
You’ve spent years saying “Someday”
Well, “Someday” is here.

It’s time to stop dreaming
And actually DO.
That is my primary advice for you.

So how does one start?
Where to begin?
Grab a pencil and paper and let’s jump right in.

The first thing to do is to ask yourself this:
What types of things bring retirement bliss?
Don’t try to please others.
We’re talking about you.
What is it that YOU’VE always wanted to do?

Maybe that’s travel or volunteering to help others.
What would it be if you had your druthers?

Once you know that, then you’re well on your way.
But there are a few other things I should probably say.

First, don’t forget friends.
In life they’re the glue.
They hold everything together.
Otherwise it’s just you.

And while friends are important,
Don’t forget about your spouse.
If you’re happy together
You’ll have no reason to grouse.

So work on your friendships and marriage for sure.
What else? Let me think?
There are two or three more.

Oh yes.  Now with plans and people in order
You can shift your attention and start to re-order.
Your priorities that is.  Your To-Do list is jumbled.
With all sorts of things you should probably fumble.
Get rid of the extra and purge the redundant.
Once you do that life will be more abundant.

So that’s a few things that will get you ahead.
But remember, they won’t help a bit if you’re dead.
So get yourself healthy and lose the spare tire.
If you need a few pointers, call your doc and inquire.

Before we wrap up, a quick review.
What are the things you really MUST do?
Have money and plans.  Relationships too.
A good healthy body and priorities not askew.
Do each of those things and you’ll be ahead by a mile.
Because those are the things that make retirement worthwhile.

[Click here for an illustrated version of the poem.]

Enjoy your weekend!

Joe

I originally published this article at MarketWatch.