Steve Petranik, who was with the Star-Bulletin during my years at the newspaper, is retiring after about 15 years at the helm of Hawaii Business Magazine. He’s been part of the news business in Hawaii going on 40 years, and did his jobs with poise and grace.

In a Hawaii Business column, he spoke about retirement.

There was a time when I thought I would work forever. What else would I do with all my time? After all, the life I have is the only life I know: I started delivering newspapers when I was 10, sold subscriptions door to door in the summers, worked part-time in an office when I was 14, in a factory when I was 17, and in a fishing lodge the next year. In college, I usually juggled three part-time jobs.

Frankly, I was a bit scared of retirement. I had read about how many people fell into inertia and despair after retiring. But as I added up the many things I was excited to do, I realized I could not possibly find time for all of them, even in retirement.

The second reason I was scared of retirement was the fear that my wife and I could outlive our savings. That’s still a possibility, but I have 90% confidence that won’t happen.

My hedge is that I plan to earn a little money on the side just in case and because I can’t possibly go cold turkey following 50 years of writing and editing.

So, after 38 years of paying the price of paradise, I plan to start enjoying paradise more.

My own career path was a rocky, winding road that often trailed off into a barely visible track. Along the way, I often wondered what I would eventually do when I “grew up.” Well, I’m about as grown up as I’m going to be, so I guess this is it! I trust Steve will feel the same way.