When I was little, I was sick a lot. I must not have been the most hygienic child because I seemed to staying home from school at least once or twice a month. Being mildly sick as a child with a stomach bug or a cold is so different than it is once you’re an adult. For one, once you’re grown, you’re not going to have somebody babying you. For the most part, you just want to be left alone to lay in bed and rest, although you might still have some other responsibilities to take care of, like work and children. Secondly, I remember my sick days at granny’s house with fondness. She’d make me a nest of pillows and blankets on the couch, read me stories, and bring me chicken noodle soup. I can’t think of one actual sick day from my adult life that I look back on with anything but a fervent prayer not to repeat it.

This all occurs to me as I was taking care of a sick grandbaby over the weekend. He’s my youngest grandchild, and while he definitely wasn’t feeling well, he also had a great time playing checkers, watching cartoons, and camping out on the living room sofa all weekend long. He took frequent naps and still laughed at the funny parts of his favorite shows. Despite the fact that his stomach hurt, his throat hurt, and he had a fever, he kept a smile on his face.

It’s amazing how children just seem to go with the flow. If a stomach bug can’t get you down, you’re a pretty resilient character. Things that really bother me and cause disruptions in my routine, like being sick, are an inconvenience to my grandkids. He didn’t dwell on it, but enjoyed himself as much as he could, which it turns out is a whole lot when you have granny around. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all take a little bit more of that laid back attitude towards life? Not all the time, obviously. Some things are worth getting worked up about…but I’ll be the first to admit that there are a lot of small things that bother me more than they should.

So here’s my plan for the next few months as I prepare to leave the working world and enter retirement: I’m going to learn to relax. I think it’s a skill that will come in handy when I have more time than projects on my hands. I’m going to let the small inconveniences and discomforts bother me as little as possible and keep my perspective focused on the big picture. I’m going to start babying myself since apparently I’m pretty good at it. And I’m going laugh, smile, and play checkers as much as possible.

It’s funny what strikes a chord with me as I get older and prepare for this major life transition. A grandchild’s bout of illness can leave me pondering my own reactions to life just as much as any personality test or philosophical conversation. So as we enjoy the warm spring weather this week, I think I’m just going to relax, trust that all of the planning and effort that I’ve put into my career and retirement will pay off, and live in the moment. I hope you’re able to do the same. I’m Retiring Tina, and I still have some work to do.