Retirement at one-year anniversary

It was 365 days ago that I first retired after a 30-year career. I wrote a blog about walking out of my office for the last time, with my personal belongings and a lifetime of memories, to begin this new and daunting phase of life.   As all new retirees must feel, I was excited but terrified for what lay ahead, and full of ideas of all the things that I would do now that I no longer belonged to the ranks of the employed.

Let me say right off the bat that year one was an eye-opening adventure. It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. Before I could barely get used to sleeping in and seeing my life as one long vacation, I was in the hospital for major shoulder surgery!   It turned out well, and at least now that unexpected detour is behind me.

I wrestled with how to schedule my days, and how to feel justified if I did not have a full agenda. It didn’t take long, however, to fall in love with the slowly-developing mornings where I enjoyed two cups of coffee out on my patio, read what’s left of the News and Observer, and wrote members of Congress and others with my strong opinions about what is going on in the country!  I am more informed, more passionate, and more aware of what I can do to disrupt the status quo! 

While some other physical issues have reared their ugly heads, I have expanded my world of exercise to include more yoga, water fitness classes, walking, and learning to ride an eBike! Sadly, I’m not playing tennis right now. But I still get together with that group of friends in other settings.  And I’m volunteering as a reading mentor with the YMCA, and as a counselor with my church’s Doorstep Ministry.

I have taken continuing education classes every semester since I retired, and I recommend these for anyone who has the time. It’s true that women naturally seek out social interactions, and retirement has allowed me to get to know new people I would never have met otherwise.

With my new-found freedom, I have taken more trips. It’s surprising how much less traffic there is on I-40 on a Wednesday midday heading to the coast!

I am more content with simpler joys - watching new series, reading, going to services at Duke Chapel, and sitting by the pool at my building in the summer.

This past year flew by. To my surprise, I have really taken to retirement. Not even the impeachment hearings or disappointing basketball games have ruined the experience. Here we are now, already in early January, and the new year is off and running.   I’m excited to do it all again.