In the first year of retirement, I negotiated my way through the days as an explorer rather than as if I knew the route.
I committed to nothing, didn’t think about volunteering, working part time, or consulting. I wanted to just practice being. I wanted to see what it felt like to have no external calls on my time. I couldn’t remember if my life had been like that before. Ever.
I did some travel and cleaned off a bit of my bucket list. But I was always happy to get home and putter in my yard, visit with family and friends. Being home and enjoying it was a pleasant bonus. Work life involved spending more time away from home than in it. Funny how the largest investment I have is the one I spend time enjoying the least. Retirement seemed like a good time to change that.
Around the house there were a few things to take care of.
I had an enormous library of books in the “intend to read” pile. But I hadn’t yet. I reviewed them and culled those I would never read. My interests had changed.
I had several projects around the house that needed tending. They included painting all the closets (there was only the original builders paint on them), cleaning the rugs, tending to the flower beds, refreshing the paint on the deck and garage door. And the closets needed a good cleaning out. A retirement houseclean, purge and maintenance update.
The year flew by and was very satisfying. And gave me a glimpse of what the future years could look like. What else came out of that first year besides fewer books and reasonable maintained house was a few habits I wanted to cultivate.
Keep moving – despite the twinges, the squeaks, the gurgles, those audible reminders of the use I have made of my body and the impact being felt now. I knew that if I kept moving it would be easier to keep moving. I swam, walked, did yoga, and was more mindful of sitting too much.
Creating, making with my hands, using my mind, give me great satisfaction. I knit, sewed, and took classes to carve with wood, played the ukulele, drew better (actually really drew – my stick people are pathetic), tap danced. Not any of those were towards a specific goal. Just driven by a curiosity of what would be it like to try.
And sometimes I just be. Enjoy tea on the deck, watch the clouds and the birds, people and dogs go by.
2021
The simplicity and satisfaction of that first year resonates today. Especially in the world of COVID where travel is deferred. I have been very creative this past year, making presents for people, adding to the decor in my house, and will continue exploring new skills and honing existing ones going forward.
I am grateful for that first year – learning how to be with myself and make do with what I have around me. I believe it has made this period of sequestration and solitude much easier to ride. And helped me add beauty to my world.
