A few years ago, when I was considering retirement, one piece of advice stood out to me.

“Certainty tells us we're not ignoring the truth,” the Los Angeles rabbi said. Naomi Levy“When the time comes, you'll know. You'll know.”

For President Biden, who announced on Sunday that he would not seek reelection, that moment was now.

Then, after weeks of resistance, he finally realized.

It must have been a heart-wrenching, soul-searching, heartbreaking decision. But dropping out of the presidential race wouldn't necessarily mean the end of Biden. If his health holds out (a big “if”), he wouldn't be the first former president to find a way to continue serving his country.

I've been an advocate for people who want to continue working as effectively as they ever did into their 70s and 80s, as many do, but some people continue to work for a long time, and when their skills start to stagnate and health issues start to arise, it's time to take a break.

There are several possible benefits to Biden leaving office.

A: His health has been declining, a fact made painfully clear by his shaky performance in the debate with former President Trump on June 27, so Biden can now focus all his attention on addressing his medical needs. Doctors tell me he is showing clear signs of a potentially progressive neurological disease, and at age 81, it makes sense for him to step away from one of the world's toughest jobs.

B: He's a family man, and for 50 years he sacrificed time with his family because of the demands of high-ranking public service. I've been to Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, where Biden has a vacation home. It would be nice for the family to get together there without the constant pressure.
National and world events.

C: If we believe the polls, Biden doesn't stand a chance against Trump. By stepping down now, his political career will end not with a painful election defeat, but with a decision to face the reality of the polling trends, pass the baton to the next generation in Vice President Kamala Harris, and put the Democratic Party above his own ego.

D: Biden has made many mistakes in his time in office (border control and withdrawal from Afghanistan, to name just two), but he has many achievements. And he is a decent, respectable man who will stay out of the fray in a country that has lost its way and lost its mind. In some ways, that is a relief.

E: I don't think Biden could win reelection, but Harris could reinvigorate a stale and enervated Democratic Party and use her prosecutorial skills to harshly criticize Trump for climate injustice, the violation of women's reproductive rights, etc. If Harris wins, she will of course put forward her own policies, but they will likely include some of the initiatives that Biden started.

These are the benefits of Biden leaving office, but are there any drawbacks?

absolutely.

Change can be difficult for anyone at any age, and retirement is one of the biggest changes in life.

Biden's case is certainly not a typical retirement, but he served in elected office long enough that that is what it will essentially be. Like other former presidents, he will likely maintain a public role and public profile. But retirement is generally harder for someone leaving a job that was a big part of their identity — not just what they did, but who they were — like the president of the United States.

For Biden, and others going through such a major transition, I was reminded of some advice I received while writing my book on retirement. Father Greg Boyle The president of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang intervention and reintegration program, said whether you stay or leave your job, you need to go somewhere in life, be tied to it, and do something that gives you meaning and purpose.

president Carter Since leaving office, he's done just that, working to resolve international conflicts and building homes with Habitat for Humanity. Given Biden's age and health, it's unclear whether he'll be doing anything like that in the near future. We'll just have to wait and see.

“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country that I step aside and focus on fulfilling the duties of my presidency for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in a letter announcing his decision, listing “significant climate change legislation” and the “first gun control legislation in 30 years” as among his accomplishments.

I can see him finding ways to serve both causes as a voice of reason going forward.

“I felt very safe,” Trump said after being wounded in an assassination attempt by a gunman in Pennsylvania. God was on my side.His disciples also said that Trump was saved by God's hand.

I know I'm not the only one who shuddered.

In the time remaining in his term, I would like to see Biden point out that President Trump and the Republican Party are the architects and guardians of the nation's gun culture, and that God must be off duty every time a schoolchild or shopping mall patron is massacred in a mass shooter.

Biden now has nothing to lose, so why not continue to roll with the punches and call out the hypocrisy?

When news of Biden's decision first broke, I immediately thought two things.

First, it's a sad moment.

Whether ultimately motivated by health considerations or polling, or both, it was a tough way to end a long career. Biden must have been bitter as he watched many of his longtime supporters call for him to resign. Yet he was able to swallow his pride, face his fears and disappointments, and deal with his declining health and shrinking political viability with grace.

My next thought was that it was about time.

Email: steve.lopez@latimes.com