The question is somewhat academic.  

I am 64.  

In fact I am much closer to 65 than 64 and that is why, earlier this week I found myself applying to receive superannuation. Those who are about to become superannuated  need to do this.  

I had to provide at least three items of proof as to who I was, fill out a long and complicated
form online that had me scurrying for long forgotten details of salary and net worth and then appear in person to convince someone that what I had written down was in fact true.

It was a long and complicated process, not helped by the fact that I answered one question wrongly. 

 

“Do you want your partner to be included in this application?”  the form asked.

As we have a joint bank account which gives Frances permission to spend all my money anyway I naturally answered “yes” only to be told that  “no” was the correct response.  She had to fill out her own application (and presumably answer the same question that I had answered wrongly).

Some 30 minutes later, all was done and I was officially on the department’s books as a “soon to be” genuine superannuitant, aka “old age pensioner”.  I felt duly gratified that, despite not having attained a perfect score at answering all questions correctly, I at least had “passed”.

I thought that growing old was something that just simply happened to one as a matter of course.  I now know that it is not that easy and forms have to be filled in and duly signed and the government has to affirm that you have indeed got older and reached 64 (about to turn 65).

I have been searching the scriptures to find out what God’s retirement plan consists of.  So far I have only found references to “eternal life”.

Martin Luther’s friend Johann von Staupitz once told him “God has plenty of work in heaven”, so while I am coming to terms with a new phase of life it seems there will be no let up.

Just so long as I have no more forms to fill in.