Well Now What?

On July 31, 2019 I walked out the door of our district office after a thirty year career in education.  The decision to do so was an emotional one.  It was also one I am not sure I was ready to make.  So my first days of retirement have consisted of internal turmoil.  Should I get a job?  At 62, I am too young to retire and probably do not deserve to feel like every day is a Saturday.  Can I literally read a book for enjoyment without guilt?  Is playing pickleball daily what retirement should be?  Not sure of any of the above.  I guess time will tell.

The first thing I did after I walked out the door on the 31st was to go to the public library.  I checked out a book with the thought of reading one book a week for the next year.  I chose the book, Lessons from Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog by Dave Barry.  I read Dave Barry's contributions in newspapers for years. I always loved his humor and light-heartedness.  I felt this would be the perfect start in my quest to become a recreational reader again.

Dave's humor did not lead to many laugh out loud moments, but it did elicit a few chuckles.  Surprisingly it led to a few tears in the final chapter as he described his daughter's unannounced battle with Transverse Myelitis which left her paralyzed.  It was a heartfelt reminder to be grateful for what you have (it's probably more than you think).

Dave also reminded us of six other ways of considering the life we live that he learned from the companionship of his dog Lucy.

Lessons shared by Dave include:

1.  Make New Friends (And Keep the Old Ones You have)

2.  Don't Stop Having Fun. (And if You Have Stopped.  Start Having Fun Again.

3.  Pay Attention to the People You Love.  (Not Later. Right Now.)

4.  Let Go of Your Anger, Unless It's About Something Really Important.  Which it Almost Never Is.

5.  Try Not to Judge People by Their Looks, and Don't Obsess Over Your Own

6.  Don't Let Your Happiness Depend on Things:  They Don't Make You Truly Happy, and You'll Never Have Enough Anyway.

Great reminders.  Easy to think about, perhaps harder to do.  It seems like a good list to follow in retirement.  Stay tuned and we will see how I fare with these principles.