THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF RETIREMENT - RITUAL AND SUPPORT IN A MODERN LIFE PASSAGE

Participants in a longitudinal study of retirement experienced various forms of frustration and fulfillment in the rituals that were held to mark their transition from workers to retirees. Official workplace ce remonies were relatively ineffective as a formal support system, where as informal rites created by intimates, and postretirement travel, wer e more helpful in negotiating this liminal period. The content of rhet oric, the way gifts and guest lists were chosen, and the role of fanta sy and physical separation in the ritual process all proved to be key variables. The lightness with which retirement is culturally conceived and the uneven nature of its ritual celebration thus prove to be amon g its heaviest burdens.