To work or not to work?

Recently, I traveled to Samarkand. There was a tourist from one of the European countries on the high-speed train next to me. We got to talking.

“I guess you don’t work anymore, right?” she asked.

“No, I’m working,” I said.

“Why?” the interlocutor was surprised.

“My work is interesting and gives me pleasure,” I said.

“Oh,” she said incredulously. “Our retirees try not to work,” she added.

On the way back from Samarkand, another tourist from Europe happened to be nearby. We started talking again.

“Are you working?” he asked me.

“Yes,” I said.

“Very nice,” said the interlocutor. “It’s good when a person, even of retirement age, works. Otherwise, it would be bad.

“Of course,” I agreed.

Returning home, I began to wonder which of my two European interlocutors was right. Probably both are right in their own way. But I’m also right. And I mentally thanked these two tourists for sharing their life wisdom.