Make Time for Mentoring

If you've found yourself overflowing with worldly advice, but with no one to impart it upon, you have a couple of options. You can become a blogger and spend your days typing away for legions of faceless fans, or you can help out some younger folks face to face. Pat Rosenburg, a 61-year-old active volunteer, chose the latter when her two daughters left for college.

Rosenburg was workng with dropout-prevention organization, Communities in Schools, when she met Tristan Love. The inner city teenager says he was headed for a life of crime until Rosenburg became a part of his life. The two developed a mentoring relationship, and Love is now headed for college.

Mentoring and volunteering are both great ways to fill your free time when you have an empty nest or are entering into retirement. As your life is changing, you might enjoy the opportunity to help change someone else's life. If you're interested in becoming a mentor there are several organizations you can work with. A good place to get started is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. The organization pairs up volunteers with youngsters in need of a mentor. Who knows what you might learn? [WSJ]