From Stability to Legacy: My Parents’ Retirement Journey

It’s the first day of October. A month that comes with a string of emotions for me and my family. This year, October holds even more weight: today is the first day both my parents are officially retired. My dad, now over 80, and my mom, 75, have spent most of their time in the workplace at the same school district in Texas.

The other day, I was telling my son that now Nana and Nani are retired, which means Mommy will be the one working. As I said the words, a wave of emotions washed over me. My parents are stepping into a new chapter of their lives, and in many ways, our whole family is entering a new chapter alongside them.

My parents came to America in the early 1970s. They were eager to build a life that offered something different for their children. My dad worked four jobs so that my mom could be home with my brother and me. As we grew, she began substituting and volunteering, eventually earning her master’s degree and becoming a full-time teacher once I was in middle school.

They gave us a childhood filled with cross-country road trips, a steady presence at our school events, and an abundance of family time that meant everything. My favorite memory, one that friends who came over still talk about, was Sunday morning breakfast. We came together on Sunday morning eating, laughing, and just being together. We would sit for hours on end discussing everything from current events to religion to the small details of our teenage lives.

My parents created stability at home, at work, and in the community, and that stability gave my brother and me the freedom to grow. I watched them take careful steps, pursuing passions and avoiding risk. They had already endured enough of it before coming here. My brother, seeing the foundation my parents set for us, started working early. He wanted to contribute to the household. My parents’ steadiness allowed me to take risks they couldn’t.  I pursue my education without fear or hesitation. I walked through the world with a confidence they helped make possible.

Even in their darkest moments, like when they lost their child, my parents kept going. They were anchored by our faith community and their work community. Their resilience and strength gave me the foundation to finish my education and ultimately earn my doctorate. Their stability gave me permission to choose differently, to live with courage, and even to embrace my decision to be a single mom. I live knowing their support will always catch me.

And now, retirement. I imagine my parents might feel a mix of pride and unease. They have been steady providers for so long. How that may feel to lay that down? I hope retirement brings them peace rather than worry, joy rather than questions about what’s next. I hope they can embrace the ease of unhurried mornings, the sweetness of time with their grandchildren, and the satisfaction of knowing their life’s work has created a legacy.

As their daughter, I hope I can support them the way they’ve always supported me by offering presence, care, and reassurance. I want them to feel secure in this season, to know their wants and needs will be cared for. I want them to feel celebrated, not just for what they’ve accomplished but for the people they are.

It’s October—my dad’s birthday month, the month my mom first became a mother. As I reflect, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the countless gifts they’ve given me: love, friendship, work ethic, service, and the unshakable foundation of family. Now, in this new chapter, I hope I can give back even a fraction of what they’ve given me. I hope we savor every Sunday breakfast we have left together, soaking up the joy of simply being with one another.