What a Difference a Year Makes

This Saturday, September 13, marks one year since I retired. On that last day of work, my health was dodgy at best. A year later, I feel better than I have in several years before. I suspect it is the lack of stress and the sublime happiness I feel every day. The blessings are bountiful indeed.

A dear friend who will soon be undertaking her own retirement journey sent me a list of questions this week, all of which I answered in probably way more detail than she wanted! How did I know when the date was, how did I tell my colleagues, what's my day like now -- that sort of thing. Her last question was something like "What would the Jeanie of Now tell the Jeanie of pre-retirement?"

It was a hard question, in a way. But then the words just came.

"For more than 32 years you have gone to work, stretched your mind, expanded your horizons, developed your creativity, met amazing people from all over the country and made wonderful friends. You have loved most of it and you have learned from all of it. But you have paid a dear price for that. 

It's time that you thought of yourself, that you released yourself from the stress that takes its toll. Your life will not stop. Your friends and contacts will not disappear and in fact, they will expand if you choose to let that happen. You will continue to expand those horizons, develop that creativity, make new friends and meet new people. 

But now it won't be through going to work, it will be because you are living the life you worked hard for and deserve to live. You will relax and in relaxing you will release stress. In releasing stress you will begin to heal your body and your soul. Do it if you can. Finances will always be a factor for anyone making that choice. But there are often ways to work with that. The most important thing is to take care of yourself so you can have the life you want. And you can do it -- and you will not regret for a moment that you did."

What a difference a year makes.

I wake earlier than I did when working -- probably because I sleep so much better. After that morning twilight moment of Lizzie-cuddling and listening to her amazing purr, I get the day going. Knowing I need some structure, I begin with computer time -- time to check your blogs, facebook and get my own blog posts in order.

I'm also going through the thousands of photos on my computer and deleting the so-so or downright bad ones and get those I keep categorized in folders like "Lizzie," "Jeanie and Rick," "Tea," "Lake" and various travel sites. It's surprisingly organized and will improve more as I pare things down.

I'll return to spinning and the gym this month. The summer has been too travel-heavy and we stopped the gym membership till September.

That will kick off the "new year" with a calendar already filled with Cork Poppers, a shower, an art sale, a few more road trips. In other words, carrying on with lots of the things I enjoyed in my first retirement year.

Of course, the best event of that first year was the wedding of Kevin and Molly. And feeling good enough to fully enjoy ever second!



Since I've retired, I've traveled (Nashville, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Canada, New Harmony, IN, Cleveland and Columbus -- along with time at the lake). On some of those trips (along with day trips, classes and house guests) I connected with several blog friends, some for the first time!

I've tried lots of new recipes (including cooking with friends). At the top of the list was macaron making with Kate! We made a mess -- but boy, it was delicious!

 

And I've tried lots of new recipes on my own -- Easter's Pavlova was a treat and the cracker recipe that came from Marilyn was the best of all I tried!

 

I've participated in several art swaps since retirement and taken several art classes, learning new techniques and making new friends. I also did a couple of sales (more to come this fall!)

I've explored new places with friends, like USArtquest where I picked up great tips from Susan Pickering Rothamel (and plan to attend her open studio classes beginning in the fall).

I've read 33 books this year alone and am reveling in having time to read on any number of topics. Look for more book features here and on the long-neglected Chopsticks and String.

Several "long lost" college friends came to town and for once there was time to really connect. Patty lives in Maryland now and her husband was performing in Lansing-area. Jim is now in North Carolina -- a wonderful potter. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at former MSU theatre professor Gretel's home.

 

One of the words of wisdom shared with me last year when speaking other retirees was to volunteer. So, speaking of MSU's department of theatre, my alma mater, I've been enjoying working on the Friends of Theatre board. Our big project has been raising funds for a new and permanent outdoor performing space for the Summer Circle plays. Construction is almost done -- and we are almost to our goal!

I have loved connecting with my only relative on my dad's side, his 90-year-old cousin Marie. I hope I look as good as she does when I hit 80! And now, I feel confident that I just may! (I didn't feel that way a year ago, and it was pretty darned scary.)

We had the coldest winter I can remember in my lifetime. A visit to Niagara Falls (the day before it froze over) was so chilling we stayed only a few minutes.

Our Christmas holidays were somewhat marred by a massive power failure and other not-the-best things. But the cold didn't stop us from enjoying the season and making friends with a family from Japan as we introduced them to that holiday tradition, cutting down the tree. (That was a mighty cold and snowy day, too!) But despite the cold, I stayed well!

But best of all, in this past year I have had the chance to become all the closer to Rick, my fabulous baker (and biker) boy. As I wrote in THIS post, he was afraid I might become a wet, sticky leaf, clinging to him as the job that was once part of my personal and professional identity ended.



He needn't have worried. Our times together have been all the better, all the sweeter. Just as he has his bicycle friends and music buddies, I have my GGs (great group of women), my book club and more activities to do than I have time for. I'm not sure how I managed it all before. The lack of stress, of day-to-day angst makes our time together all the sweeter..

So, I celebrate. This was a big anniversary for me. The last two years before I retired were terribly difficult in ways personal, physical and professional. I saw changes that brought about terrible stress and exacerbated my illness. I'll always have chronic breathing issues, I'll always be at great risk for infections and another round of superbugs. I get that. It's my "new normal." (Or old normal, as the case may be.)

But I've cleared a year without major problems. When the biggest problems are a leaky sink, a few must-be-fixed cottage issues and some good old fashioned worries-about-other-people, I can clear another and another year after that with good docs and the best partner ever.

 Celebrating life, joy and nesting. Yes, life is good.