Learning to retire is a process. It begins when one becomes aware that the last day of work is on the current calendar and close at hand. I suppose for some it’s a long awaited date. But then maybe those people didn’t love what they did. Or maybe they were just tired of doing it.
For me, I loved the various jobs I’ve had over the years. I found something redeemable in every one; honestly, I did. At the same time, I always had a bevy of hobbies and interests that often took a back seat to work. So I knew that if I ever retired, I wouldn’t become a couch potato.
More than one of my friends has said, “You’ll love it. You’ll wish you had done it earlier.” I appreciate their opinions, and maybe in time I will wish I’d done it earlier. But for now this feels right.
As for the process, the next step is to take the hours I gave to a job and make them productive in other ways. My bevy of hobbies and interests waits, and I feel like Elizabeth Barrett Browning is talking to me: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . .”
How do I spend my newly found time? Let me count the ways.
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