Retirement came to me before I even had time to consider what that would really mean. My boss suddenly needed heart surgery and at age 75 decided that maybe it was finally time that he retire. With his surgery looming, we helped our patients find a new physician and took all the necessary steps to close the office. There was a lot of extra work and effort involved in this and by the time we closed the door for the last time, I was definitely ready for a rest, but was I ready for retirement?
After 32 years working in the same busy medical office, my boss and co-workers had become like family to me. We had survived many of life’s ups and downs together; we were close. It was hard to imagine life without my constant work companions, my longtime friends. And without my job, how would I fill my days?
Along with the two other secretaries in the office, I decided to collect unemployment. At least that would help pay the bills while I decided which direction to go in. After a few short weeks the unemployment office expected me to attend a “training seminar” so that I could again find meaningful employment. I considered that for one brief moment but at age 64 taking on another job wasn’t something I really wanted to do. Instead, I looked into Social Security, signed up and took an early retirement.
Some people say they love retirement, that their lives are so busy they wonder how they ever found time to work! Others go through what I call “work withdrawal” where they find themselves adrift without the anchor of their job security and stability. I found myself wedged somewhere between the two. Although I loved putting away the alarm clock, I still craved purpose in my life.
Since I took retirement in January, it was hard to spend much time outdoors and I easily succumbed to cabin fever. It would be months before I could enjoy gardening and I could read for only so many hours a day. To occupy my time I spent the winter months helping my husband with his metal casting business and waited patiently for spring.
Once the warm weather arrived I felt energized again. I was getting out for daily walks and spending time working in the garden. I had settled into my new lifestyle feeling rested and invigorated. I was ready for something new but wasn’t sure what that was.
Over the previous year I had taken up writing, something I very much enjoyed but had little time for when working. Now I found myself devoting more time to writing and the possibility of pursuing this as a vocation inspired me to look further. It didn’t take me long to look into blogging as a means of getting my writing seen and as a platform to launch a new career. Today, I enjoy adding to my blog on a regular basis and it has truly given me a new lease on life and a new purpose.
I would love to hear other retirement stories. What do you do to fill your days? Are you enjoying life more or less? How are you managing financially? Please feel free to comment and I promise to respond in kind. Thank you for visiting my new website, Nancy with The Laughing Face.
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