Not Retired, Just Re-Directed

I’m typing this early in the morning from my cousin’s lovely little courtyard garden in London. Everyone is still sleeping, and it’s a beautiful, sunny start to the day, perfect for contemplating and drinking coffee. The thought is playing through my mind: although my life is now different, I don’t feel “retired.”

My days are certainly different and definitely more enjoyable than when I was working, but I still have that sense of agency and direction that filled my time prior to retirement. I assume it’s because I’ve shed one set of metaphorical clothing and donned another set of comfy leisure clothes, more suited to my new reality of personal choice rather than professional necessity.

Perhaps, although I’m the new guy on the retirement block, that’s the answer to this question: retirement shouldn’t be an ending, but a continuation of your life journey at a more sedate pace, focused on yourself and your loved ones. With that little thought in mind, I may get ready for a pleasant retirement day tubing through London to the Natural History Museum for a few hours of experiencing the joys of London. I hope you, too, have a lovely, intentional retirement morning, because we only have this one shot at life. Enjoy.