Retirement

One of the least understood processes in life is retirement.  People talk about it longingly for years before its arrival, but once it happens, then you can separate the girls from the women, the men from the boys.

We prepare to enter the work force for YEARS, right.  But how much time does the average person put into preparing for retirement?  That tells the story right there.

It isn't magic.  It isn't serendipity.  It isn't happenstance. 

I don't know who it was who shared some snippets of wisdom with me, or maybe it was reading some articles about it in the paper or magazines, but I knew that retirement was going to be a challenge at first.  And it was.  Even though I had cultivated several decent time-gobbling hobbies, the first weeks of retirement were confusing and emotional.

In short, I missed everyone.  The camaraderie, the discussion, the humor, the companionship.  It was all gone in a flash.  It felt like being rudderless.  Kind of like riding down a hill on one of those round sleds.  There is no steering one of those (I found out).

Someone said that getting used to being retired would take a couple of years.  After all, when a person has been getting up early and going to a work environment for almost 30 years without stop, it would seem logical that an abrupt stoppage of this would be a shock.

But here we are now -- I'm about five years into it -- and it feels good.  Sure, I waste time but I did that before too.  And yet, there is a cadence and a rhythm to it now.  A rise and a fall.  A few peaks and valleys.

My husband does a lot of eye screening as part of his retirement.  His first so many years of retirement were full of catching up around the house.  There was a lot to finish and to repair.  But now he really seems to like going to the schools and screening eyes.  He knows it helps children, that it gives them a better chance at school and in life.  And at the end of one of those days, tired, he comes back to the place where he is most comfortable but as he says, "It's a good tired."

In retirement, there is more time for reflection and for prayer.  More time to give of oneself.  More time to donate to a cause. 

Yesterday I went to visit with my sister and also saw my niece.  It was a relatively short, but very nice visit.  It's one of those things that would never happen before retirement.  It's a blessing.

Keep praying for the people on Mrs. Barkey's prayer list, for the people who are really ailing at this time of year, for those who aren't able to enjoy the holidays anymore. 

And we do all for the glory of God!!