The Luxury of Time

As I gently dip my toe into retirement, I’m making time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. As I’ve shared in the past, I’m not one for regret, but my new-found flexible schedule has me wondering what took me so long. It certainly isn’t like someone must be retired to appreciate their favorite things; I think it’s more about the luxury of time.

I’ve always loved trees – their character and their stature. That said, I rarely stopped and reveled in their magnificence. I was busy, I needed to be somewhere, and time was of the essence. I noticed trees, but I didn’t really see them. These days, I am mesmerized by trees. I stop, and stare, and look upon them with awe. I take pictures of trees. I look up the names of trees. I no longer worry about wasting time; I take the time. I have a friend who wrote Letter Trees, a collection of pictures depicting trees that form each letter of the alphabet. What a wonderful way to instill a love of trees in the younger generation!

I’m also finding great joy in looking at the sky. Colorado skies are something to see. I’ve learned that a bluebird sky is one that is crystal clear with not a cloud in sight; if you’ve seen one, you never forget it. And when there is a new moon, or a pink moon, or a full moon, rather than worrying about getting enough sleep, I go outside and marvel at the beauty.

Today, I spoke with a total stranger (about the beautiful tree in her yard). That’s a new development. I’m not one to strike up a conversation with people I don’t know. Heck, I don’t even like to talk to most of the people I do know! She told me about her tree, and the history of Elm trees in Colorado brought here from the 1904 World’s Fair. I shared that I grew up in St. Louis (home of the 1904 World’s Fair). Her name is Debbie and her sister’s name is Denise. Small world!

During my years working in hospice, patients often shared the same two pearls of wisdom:

1. When you care about people, tell them you love them.
2. Make the most of every day.

It’s taken me longer than I would like to admit but I’m getting better at both. Some would say, “It’s about time.”