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    Retirement is Fun
    Retirement is Fun
    Retirement is Fun
    Ebook199 pages2 hours

    Retirement is Fun

    By Brenda Mohammed

    ()

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    About this ebook

    WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, MANY OTHERS OPEN.
    In her memoir RETIREMENT IS FUN, which is a sequel to My Life as a Banker - A Life Worth Living, Brenda describes her many wonderful experiences at the end of her banking career.
    Reluctant to move on from banking, she amazes herself when she turned down an offer to work in a higher position at another bank.
    She chose Insurance instead, and for her, it turned out to be the better choice.
    She excelled and qualified for the Premium Association for Financial Professionals [MDRT] six times in a row and her travels around the world skyrocketed.
    Within the pages. you will read how Brenda proves that retirement is a time to enjoy life and continue to earn.
    For her, retirement is when you stop working to live, and start working at living.
    Of course, life is not a bed of roses, and you will read how Brenda stands out as a beacon of light throughout every challenge she faces.
    Follow the author on her remarkable journey.
    Read a five-star review from an Amazon Reviewer:
    "Great Motivational Read!
    What can I say about "Retirement Is Fun?"
    It's a book that gives the good and the bad of living in this 21st century.
    There are incredible miracles and incredible heartbreaks, yet through it all with the support of family and faith in God, we prevail.
    The author wrote the story as it occurred, with no frills or embellishments.
    She takes the reader along with her to the many places she visited.
    Her obvious enjoyment of them is a testament to her wonderful spirit.
    The book is written in two parts.
    I was happy the author gives us the good news in the first half, that way, the reader is able to see her strength and appreciate from whence she came.
    I was impressed with the places she had visited.
    I'd thought I was a world traveler, but I take my hat off to her and her wonderful family.
    This is a great motivational and inspirational story for anyone who needs uplifting."

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrenda Mohammed
    Release dateJun 12, 2014
    ISBN9781536588095
    Retirement is Fun
    Author

    Brenda Mohammed

    Brenda Mohammed, a former Bank Manager from Trinidad, is a renowned, multi-award winning, and bestselling author who has published 52 books. Her genres are memoirs, romance, science fiction, mysteries, psychological thriller, children’s books, Christian books, poetry, self-help, magazines, and anthologies. She is Founder of the How to Write for Success Literary Network and is President CIESART INTERCONTINENTAL - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, a legally registered company in Spain. Her superb writing skills won her several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Romania, Argentina, Morocco, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and the UK.

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      Book preview

      Retirement is Fun - Brenda Mohammed

      Retirement is Fun

      Brenda Mohammed

      Published by Brenda Mohammed, 2014.

      While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

      RETIREMENT IS FUN

      First edition. June 12, 2014.

      Copyright © 2014 Brenda Mohammed.

      ISBN: 978-1536588095

      Written by Brenda Mohammed.

      Table of Contents

      Title Page

      Copyright Page

      Dedication

      Retirement is Fun

      Sign up for Brenda Mohammed's Mailing List

      Further Reading: My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living

      Dedicated to Rashiff, Adrian, Michelle, Andre, Ashley, Sophia, George, Raphael, Chitra, all my sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends,who have contributed to my successful careers in Banking and Insurance, and my life. You all stood by me through my  battle with cancer, the good times, and the bad. I love you all.

      When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one, which has opened for us’

      Alexander Graham Bell

      CONTENTS

      FOREWORD

      WELL DESERVED VACATION

      RETIREMENT PARTY

      DECISIONS

      A GLIMPSE AT INSURANCE

      A LEARNING CURVE

      FIRST GRANDSON

      ANOTHER VACATION

      YET ANOTHER VACATION

      MDRT QUALIFIER

      MDRT CONFERENCE VEGAS

      TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS

      MDRT CONFERENCE ANAHEIM

      MORE VACATIONS

      NEW YORK AND MIAMI

      BOAT CRUISE

      MDRT IN NEW ORLEANS

      SURGERY TURNS AWRY

      CHEMOTHERAPY IN MIAMI

      HURRICANE WILMA

      CANCER SURGERY

      HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

      MOST PRECIOUS AWARD

      THE EARTHQUAKE

      FAMILY REUNION

      MDRT IN COLORADO

      MDRT IN TORONTO

      MDRT LIFE MEMBER

      REUNION IN FLORIDA

      JOB UNCERTAINTY

      ITALY

      SPAIN

      THE ACCIDENT

      SAD EVENT

      THE WEDDING

      WRITING CAREER

      PARIS AND GERMANY

      MORE VACATIONS

      CONCLUSION

      RANDOM THOUGHTS

      AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY

      BOOKS BY AUTHOR

      FOREWORD

      Have you thought about your retirement, which will definitely take place sometime in the future? Many persons dread retirement but others look forward to it.

      When you read this book, Retirement is Fun written by Award-winning Author Mrs. Brenda Mohammed you will realize that no matter how you may think of your retirement, when you do retire, it can be a season of great joy and happiness. You will begin to realize too, that when one door closes another even more beautiful door opens for you.

      You are truly able to see the beauty of life, and enjoy the beauty of time, time to spend with your children, grandchildren, siblings and to explore new horizons just like the author did.

      She was able to face many of life’s challenges when they did occur because of the beauty of the unlimited time and unconditional love of her family.

      So readers, my advice to you is to keep working while you are young and look forward to those glorious days of retirement ahead of you.

      Read this book and see the wonders of retirement experienced first-hand by the author who at first was devastated by her sudden retirement in her still youthful days. She learned through her many experiences that retirement is a time to enjoy life.

      The author has surely proved that when she retired from her first job she definitely did not retire from life.

      Florabelle Lutchman [Retired School Principal]

      WELL DESERVED VACATION

      THE MORNING AFTER MY party for my retirement from the bank, my husband and I left on our trip to Virginia. On the departure form, I had to state my occupation. It was still difficult to sink in that I was a retiree but I had no choice but to put ‘retiree’ as my occupation.

      It was a well-deserved vacation.  We had not travelled abroad together since 1990 as the children’s University Education and wedding expenses were our priorities over those years.

      On occasions, we each spent vacations abroad without each other because of the nature of our jobs. I spent holidays abroad with my sisters and he with his relatives.

      My husband’s friends in Virginia were charming hosts and they did everything to make us comfortable. Virginia is a beautiful place and we spent most of the time shopping because our hosts had to prepare for the wedding.

      The wedding took place at the fabulous Lansdowne Hotel Resort in Virginia. We spent the night there with the wedding party and other guests.

      Lansdowne Hotel Resort in Leesburg, Virginia has a 45-hole golf course and a full-service spa. The resort has a 5 pool aquatic center and on-site fitness center.

      The luxurious room in which we stayed was extremely comfortable. We had access to free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen cable TV, gourmet coffee and coffee-making facilities. The room was decorated in rich, warm tones. We were provided with plush terry bathrobes.

      There were spa and salon services at Spa Minerale and I and other guests had our hair done for the wedding.

      The wedding was grand. The bride and groom were a handsome couple. The meal at the reception was sumptuous. Tyrone and Dee introduced us to many new friends from all over the world.

      After spending two weeks in Virginia, we travelled to Miami and spent one week at the Park Plaza Hotel in Hialeah. We took the opportunity to buy brand new appliances for our home and had them shipped to Trinidad.

      Soon it was time to return home. Sitting on the plane on our way back to Trinidad I wondered what was next for me. I could not imagine just staying at home, doing housework, or watching television.

      I was still very young. I wanted to work again. I could have worked for ten more years. I did not voice my thoughts to my husband. I decided to try out staying at home for a couple of months.

      RETIREMENT PARTY

      When my husband left for work, I looked at the video of my retirement party. It was an enchanting evening. The staff with whom I had worked thought of everything to make the occasion a memorable one for me.

      I entered the exquisitely decorated restaurant with my husband, and a staff member greeted me. She presented me with a bouquet of yellow and white roses.

      The Master of Ceremonies led me to the head table, and on my way there, all present stood up to hug and kiss me. They were playing my favourite tune, ‘Blue Danube.’ 

      My church Minister, Reverend Cyril Paul, was present and he said an opening prayer.

      A senior representative from the Head Office gave the feature address and showered many praises on me for my yeoman support in the organization over the thirty-eight years I worked there.

      Mr. Huggins disclosed many well– kept secrets in his speech.

      He considered it an honour that the organizers of the retirement party asked him to be the guest speaker.

      When he thought of Brenda Mohammed, he thought of me as one of the female pioneers of the bank.

      He remembered me as being one of the first women to attempt and succeed in the London Institute of Bankers’ examinations, and at an early stage in my career, I developed a reputation as one who would move forward in the bank.

      When my name changed from Brenda Khan to Brenda Mohammed by marriage, he recalled that.

      After outlining my various promotions, he advised that he was the one who recommended me for the position of Sub-Manager of the Penal Branch. My performance was outstanding and he had no regrets in doing so.

      He added that when the Managing Director asked him to recommend someone to set up the Corporate Division South he could think of no one else who was technically equipped but Brenda Mohammed.

      I gave him yeoman support when he himself took up an appointment in the Corporate Division South as Senior Corporate Manager, and he thanked me for that. He said that during that time I was his right-hand person.

      He was the one who recommended my upgrading to managerial status, and he stated, in an era where mostly males were board appointed officials, Brenda was a pioneering female to be appointed a manager by the Board of Directors at that time.

      He showered praises on me for my job performance, and acknowledged my contributions and achievements and thanked me for my years of faithful service and commitment to the bank.

      It was gratifying to me to hear such words of commendation.

      The next speaker was the Corporate Manager, and he too showered praises and more or less confirmed what the first senior official said. He mentioned that another of my major accomplishments was building up the Penal sub-branch to full branch status within a period of twelve months. He said that it was interesting to note that not only did I excel in my job, but also I had other talents such as writing and singing.

      My brothers, sisters and their spouses, my children, staff members from branches throughout the island, and customers were invited.

      One of my sisters gave a vote of thanks on my behalf and those present applauded her for her well thought out speech.

      A couple of my clients, my secretary, and other staff members, and even customers had their say as well. They all lauded my performance and commitment to the organization over the years I had worked there.

      My husband stunned everyone when he got up and made a speech, which he had prepared without my knowledge. His words of praises brought tears to my eyes, but I managed to control myself.

      I received many presents, which I still cherish to this day.

      The meal was sumptuous and a live entertainer sang popular songs while we were dining.

      It was indeed a memorable event and I cherish the video recording of the event.

      DECISIONS

      I enjoyed my free time, which I used to decorate the house, dabble in art, and do several things that I could not do while employed at the bank.

      I painted several pictures, which I framed and hung in my library. Several persons who saw my paintings remarked that they looked professional. I even gave away all my work suits. I thought that I would no longer need them.

      A few weeks later, I was at home looking at a show on Television. The phone rang. When I answered the phone, the person on the other end said that he was the Managing Director of a bank and that he wanted to offer me a job.

      He asked me to meet him and another member of the Board of Directors of the bank at a popular restaurant in San Fernando for an interview later in the week. I agreed to meet with them.

      At the interview, they told me that a Director from my former workplace referred me to them.

      They were offering me a similar position to the one I held before at the Bank where I worked, as they were satisfied that I had the necessary ability.

      They had to seek Board approval before they could confirm my appointment, and they promised to contact me. I found that the interview went very well.

      During that same week, I received other job offers, which I declined. A couple of months passed and I did not receive any confirmation of the job offer from the bank. I assumed that they were no longer considering me for the job.

      A week later, the telephone rang.  I grabbed it anxiously thinking that it was the call from the bank, but it was a call from an Agency Manager of a popular Insurance Company.

      He said that he heard that I retired from the Bank and wanted to offer me a job as an Insurance Agent.

      Ugh, I thought. I do not want to be an Insurance agent.  That would mean going from door to door selling Insurance. No way am I doing that! I politely declined the job offer.

      He was an excellent salesperson, and my refusal did not deter him. He continued talking and told me the benefits of the job. He said that there were no fixed hours of work and that spiked my interest. I listened, and was amazed when he said that I did not even have to go to work every day. That sounded great to me.

      The company was paying a salary plus bonuses for the first year and thereafter payment was on a commission basis only. I told him that I would think about it, but I kept hoping to get a call from the Bank Director.

      On Saturday, I received another call from the Insurance Agency Manager. He asked if I had considered his offer. I told him that I was still thinking about it. He invited me to attend a meeting at his agency on the following Monday.

      I found myself agreeing to the invitation and I replied, Okay. I will be there. When I told my husband that I had agreed to attend the meeting he said, That is fine, but do not accept the job. You should be hearing from the Bank Director soon.

      While driving to the Insurance Agency on Monday morning, my gut feeling was to accept the job. I had worked at a bank for thirty-eight years. I thought that maybe it was time for a change. I always loved change and the challenges that came with it.

      A GLIMPSE AT INSURANCE

      I walked into the Insurance Agency that morning with an open mind. The Agency Manager and all the agents greeted me warmly. He started the meeting with a prayer. I was impressed. I listened intently to the proceedings.

      In his discourse, the Agency Manager said, Life Insurance is for widows and orphans.

      He then gave several examples of people who benefited from Life Insurance proceeds left for them by their spouses or parents.

      He spoke of instances where people suffered because their parents or spouses did not bother to take out Life Insurance.

      That really caught my attention. I visualized how Life Insurance could one day eradicate poverty and improve the quality of life if each generation purchased Life Insurance and left the funds for the next generation.

      After the meeting, I spoke to the other agents. They told me to become a Life Insurance Agent I would have to study and pass the State License Insurance Examinations for both Life and General Insurance. If I failed, I could not work in the Industry.

      When I heard that, I decided to leave right away. I did not want to study for examinations at that late stage in my life.

      I was about to walk out of the door when the Agency Manager called out to me and asked if I were ready to sign up the necessary documents to accept the job. I heard myself blurt out, Certainly, why not?

      He had the papers ready and I read them through and signed. I had made the decision.

      I had made a serious decision to continue working, and it was a career change for me. I mentioned to him that my sisters had planned for later in that year, a reunion in Los Angeles where another of our sisters lived. I wanted to leave the island for three weeks in July. He said that was no problem.

      I

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