Two Women Share Their Life Journeys, Filled with Lessons, Purpose, and Love

Retirement is more than just a financial endpoint. It represents the end of one chapter and the thoughtful beginning of another. For many people, the journey toward retirement is steeped in decades of decisions, compromises, and experiences, nonetheless valuable wherever they end up. Through my conversations with Jeena and Pushpinder, two women whose lives have been fulfilled through family, community, and purpose, their stories of planning, contemplation, and heartfelt advice resonated in ways that relate to everyone who is now approaching this time in their lives.

Jeena expresses a calm determination as someone who began the process early and established a disciplined practice. “We started planning for it when I was 31, 32, putting away money in our IRA.” For her, saving for retirement was never optional. It was to be treated like any other bill that needed to be paid every month. “Just start as early as you can think of it, just like a mortgage or electric bill, and pay it every month without fail.” She and her husband consulted a financial planner, researched mutual fund ratings, and focused on “safe” investments or “stability” rather than high-risk options. Her process was intentional and practical, a gradual build that made her feel safe when the retirement day came.

In a way, Pushpinder’s preparations had similar foresight but were somewhat shaped by the fixed rhythms of life in Chandigarh, India. In her home, Pushpinder’s husband, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter all resided together, so planning for retirement was never separated from family life. Similarly, her focus was also on stability so as to have her needs provided for while not being a burden to others she loves. For Pushpinder, this wasn’t just about money: “Retirement is about having peace in your heart, not just numbers in your account.” In Pushpinder’s case, she viewed her well-being thoughtfully, but intuitively her heart was set on having people connected and living multigenerationally, with shared resources while sharing responsibilities. “We made sure our home was comfortable and paid for so we wouldn’t worry about rent when we’re older,” she shared.

Jeena stopped to think about where she could have changed her actions, but she had no regrets about her generosity to family members and friends who stayed with her, even if she spent more in the long run. She noted, “We did for everybody whatever they needed because we could.” If anything, she stated, she could have invested more in real estate, something that her husband was hesitant about. Pushpinder, on the other hand, thought that she could have been tougher with her early saving and, along with her generosity, been clearer on how to build her financial security earlier.

Both women had pointed, genuine messages for younger groups. Jeena stressed the importance of discipline and avoiding unnecessary debt in the years leading up to retirement. Jeena’s main lesson was about the two most expensive things people purchase: housing and cars. “When people get ready to retire, like in their early 60s, they should buy a decent car… The household should be paid for or very close to paid for. Do not take any loan on the house just because the value has gone up.” Pushpinder’s advice had the same wisdom: live within your means, save little by little, and see beyond just yourself, to the generations to come.

Jeena reminded me that retirement is the opposite of stopping engagement with life. “Taking care of the money and taking care of your health, two main things,” she said. Beyond that, Jeena talked meaningfully about community engagement, whether tutoring children, hiking with friends, or being a member of a book club. Pushpinder shared this same thinking about how to live whole lives beyond full-time work: spending time with family, staying socially engaged with others, and creating personal goals keeps our lives rich long after we stop working full-time.

For these two women, retirement does not mean fading away, but rather re-centering themselves in a period where, with careful, mindful preparation, they can allow themselves the freedom, the generosity, the joy. As Jeena stated, “Just being able to do whatever I want to do… I have the freedom to choose whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do.” And perhaps that’s the essence of it, not just planning to ensure the essential bills are still paid, but planning so that the days ahead are truly yours to fill up with purpose, with love, and with the people that matter.

Sukhtaj Grewal is a 16-year-old local high school student who loves writing, basketball, tennis, and travel. She speaks four languages and has a blog covering global affairs, Global & Glossier: The Business Edit. “I love writing about identity, family, and the everyday moments that make you who you are. Through my storytelling, I aim to connect my personal experiences to something that people can relate to.”