Forced into an early retirement, I experienced confusion, identity loss, social isolation, and the beginnings of depression. Thanks to my Irish personality, inquisitiveness as a writer, and being the beneficiary of wonderful family and friends' suggestions, I began to explore my problem the only way that has ever made sense to me-reading, writing, and talking to other people about it. I cornered everybody that I knew who had retired or was thinking about it. Over time, my journals, notes from expert's books, and conversations began to emerge into this book. Many experts have begun writing on this subject, and all seem to come to the same conclusions. But this book comes from my personal experience and those of others. We're ordinary people figuring out what this retirement business is all about. These are our stories.