Time

I have often heard that people should retire to something, rather than from something. The idea seems to be that you will be bored, or at least unfulfilled, without a job. This wasn't terribly worrying to me, as I come from a family of "doers." On vacation we visit museums and take hikes, on visits we repair each other's houses or help them shop for sofas. No one sits around and lounges at the beach in my family. 

I noticed that when I told people I was retiring so that I could move to Spain, this gave them a satisfying narrative. I wasn't retiring to just sit around, I was going to live in a new country! (No one ever seemed to consider that if I was inclined to veg and watch TV all day on the couch, I could do that just as easily in Spain is in the US.) And I do actually intend to go to Spain. But I'm not in a rush, and I have ended up retiring from something. My job was stressful for me. I was good at it, most of the time, but it required me to be on, constantly strategizing, and always interacting with people. I am utterly relieved to be done. I already feel much healthier: I'm sleeping more, I'm exercising more, and I am rarely part of personal interactions that I have challenging. My friends tell me I appear happier. (And I really am! I can't shut up about it!) 

Now I can slow down. It doesn't matter if there are eight people ahead of my in the grocery line, I have time to wait. I can sit on the couch and read a book or surf the internet every day for an hour or two and still have plenty of time to get things done. The most wonderful part of retirement has been opening up time. My friend N sometimes texts me on as he's leaving the house, and I join him for a bike ride to his office. He's commuting, and I get some exercise and friend time. I can wake up and decide whether I want to weed the garden or clean the house or work on a sewing project or go to a concert. 

I feel so lucky to have time.