After Retirement, If You Have No Friends, Read These Five Sentences to See Life Clearly

Relationships have their seasons.

In spring, you are thriving, and people like you; in summer, you are passionate, and people seek collaboration with you; in autumn, you are fruitful, and people envy you; in winter, you are plain, and people leave you.

No matter what, you will eventually reach winter.

First, it’s the winter of your career, and later, it’s the winter of your life.

When you retire, you are slowly approaching winter, and the friends you once had gradually leave.

People leaving you is not because they are antisocial, but because they have joined other groups, enjoying themselves in places you cannot see.

But don’t feel melancholy, don’t blame anyone. Look at these few sentences, and you will immediately find clarity.

01

"At the ends of the earth, old friends are half-gone; a cup of turbid wine to finish the remaining joy, tonight's dreams will be cold": True friends are inherently few.

The young Li Shutong, also known as Hong Yi, was a renowned Chinese artist, educator, and monk in the early 20th century. He loved socializing and formed a group called "Five Friends of the Ends of the Earth" with Xu Huanyuan, Zhang Xiaolou, Cai Xiaoxiang, and Yuan Xilian. Xu Huanyuan’s family was wealthy and provided the Chengnan Cottage as a gathering place.

Later, Li Shutong and Xu Huanyuan both went to Japan to study. One day, Xu Huanyuan received a letter from home saying that his family had fallen into decline. With a heavy heart, he went to Li Shutong’s small residence and said, “Shutong, I have to go back...”

When Li Shutong came out, he only saw his friend’s footprints and subsequently wrote "Farewell". This is a famous Chinese poem that expresses the sorrow of parting with friends.

02

"Everyone has their own crossing, their own boat; if there is fate, you can't avoid it, if there is no fate, you won't encounter it; when fate begins, you gather, when fate ends, you part": Those who accompany you for a while will part ways at the end of the road.

Retirement is like reaching a crossing where you need to switch boats. Just like taking a bus, you need to transfer at certain stops.

From the boat of a career to the boat of life; from the workplace to society; from a foreign land back to your hometown... Those who accompany you on the boat or bus will not accompany you for life.

Especially for those returning to their hometowns, everything starts anew. All the acquaintances from the workplace will slowly be forgotten, and from the day of retirement, you can almost say "farewell" forever.

People from all over the country gather for a job, and will eventually drift apart for their own retirement life.

03

"What you think you missed is a regret, but it might be a disaster avoided": Fewer friends mean fewer interests and less harm.

As the old saying goes, "No profit, no early rise".

Most friends seem like friends on the surface. Without interests, there is no relationship.

Worse still, some people harm you under the guise of friendship and then disappear without a trace.

For a job, you know you might get hurt, but you still have to join in. For example, you must attend work-related social events, knowing you will get drunk and have to say insincere words.

After retirement, friends gradually leave, and you end up with none. This may not be a bad thing but a good one.

No more toasting and drinking, no need to watch others' expressions, and no more trouble. You can speak freely, refuse a drink openly, and decline any invitations.

You don’t have to worry about saying something wrong that might be passed around the workplace, affecting your relationships.

Without interests, those who still interact with you may not be true friends, but the relationship is simple, without ulterior motives.

04

"Don’t be greedy, you can’t have everything; don’t be discouraged, you won’t have nothing": Without friends, you can better accompany your family and love yourself.

The essence of retirement is to leave the workplace and rest at home.

You haven’t really left the whole world yet.

You used to be busy with work, neglecting your family. Now you can fully devote yourself to your family, let your spouse rest, do some housework; accompany your spouse to dance, sing, see the mountains and rivers, and walk hand in hand by your favorite river.

You can also cook a meal for your son, arrange more family gatherings.

You can help take care of your grandchildren, be with them. It’s tiring and costs money, but you enjoy it, feeling the joy of having a full house.

If your children don’t need your help, then love yourself.

One person, one cup of tea, one book, one road, one balcony, all are your scenery.

Go out, take a bus to an unknown stop. There are no acquaintances around, but you will feel a different breeze, a pleasant mood, and everything will look delightful.

05

“When you board the boat, don’t think of those on the shore; when you disembark, don’t mention those on the boat; the old need not know your current situation, the new need not ask about the past”: There is no turning back in life, move forward, don’t dwell on the past, every day is new.

After retirement, life and career have come to an end.

Once ashore, don’t look back at those still sailing. They are still young; their dreams and future are different from yours.

If you hold onto the boat, not letting it go, it will be painful. Letting go is the right choice.

On the boat, you met many people and had many stories, but don’t bring them up again. Talking too much is like bringing up old scores, making people dislike you.

Leave past people in past times; meet new people every new day.

As the saying goes, “Who is someone’s new love, and who is someone’s old flame?”

Everything changes, and so do relationships.

06

The best life is not always thriving, but "after the extreme brilliance, returning to simplicity".

Li Shutong was a musician, educator, and artist in the first half of his life, and a monk in the second half.

Once bound by emotions, he later regarded emotions as external things.

He said, “Love is compassion.”

Yes, being loved is receiving compassion, and we should be grateful; loving others is giving compassion, and it leaves a pleasant fragrance in our hands.

As long as you are kind and live with a clear conscience, having or not having friends becomes irrelevant.

In the decades of life, live sincerely, but don’t be trapped by emotions.

Step back, go home, with one house, two people, three meals, and four seasons.

Move forward, go out, meeting new people and saying goodbye along the way.