It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over

I am not a fan of the word retired. For many people of a certain age, their lifelong goal was to retire, leave the rat race, and enjoy a life of leisure. In 2021, retirement is being postponed for all kinds of reasons, most of which necessitate working well beyond the golden age of 65.

As I was contemplating my next chapter, I found the word retired unpleasant and unsettling. For me, the word beckons images of boredom, aimlessness, and a further spiral toward senility. Who looks forward to that? I grew up in a home where a strong work ethic was instilled early and often. My father supported his wife and seven children on a plumber’s salary. The older children helped with the littles, we all had chores, and everyone pulled their weight. Some of us drove a wrecker when our father opened a salvage yard. Slothfulness is not in my DNA.

I found the idea of sitting around doing nothing much more appealing than actually sitting around doing nothing. In fact, I never got to that stage. Before I left my 8-5 job, I decided I wanted to “redesign” my career, a word I find more palatable. My son suggested I create a wish list of new occupations I wanted to try. My list included teaching, working at a nursery surrounded by plants and flowers, leading meditation walks at the Denver Botanic Garden, and opening a private grief counseling practice. In addition, I wanted to continue working in end-of-life care but scale back to part-time. A year after I created my “redesign,” all of those opportunities had come to fruition. And now, four years later, it’s time for a new list. For starters, I’m creating this blog.

What’s on your wish list?