It seems fitting that Independence Day fell on the first Monday of my retirement life. My career was never a prison, never anything that I was trying to break free from, but yet, I do have this new sense of freedom. I CAN DO WHAT I WANT EVERY DAY. Wow. No schedules, no deadlines, no plans that my husband and I aren’t creating for ourselves. I am amazed by the feeling. When I worked, I would look at my grandchildren, enjoying their summer vacation, not yet old enough to have a summer job, and marvel at that freedom. Well, I have that again, and this time, I’m old enough to appreciate it.
This week, I’m focused on one thing only. I am relaxing. I’m sleeping in, or at least trying to. After you’re used to getting up at 6 AM, your body pretty much decides that you’re going to get up at 6 AM. I don’t mind though. I brew a pot of coffee, sit outside on the deck, and listen to the birds waking up. We live on the outskirts of town, and this morning I saw a deer and two young fawns in the field across from us. There’s no need to rush, and I’m starting to appreciate that quiet time in the morning.
I’m sleeping so well at night also. I didn’t realize that my nerves about retirement had been affecting my rest over the past few months, but in the few days since I’ve officially retired, sleep has greatly improved. Part of that is the relief, I’m sure, but I’m also moving more. Bicycling, hiking, gardening, and playing with the grandkids keeps me up and moving around much more than a desk and computer did. My first days of retirement are marked by deep sleep, early morning sessions on the porch and sore muscles, and I can live with that.
My husband and I have started packing for our trip out west. We have an itinerary, of course. A lifelong planner such as myself isn’t going to throw all schedules to the wind just because of retirement. But I didn’t put a timeline on the destinations. We’ll be renting an RV for the trip, so we won’t be worried about hotels, and probably camping at a few National Parks along the way. I feel like I’m about to embark on a great adventure, and I can’t wait.
Less than a week into my retirement, I know that I’m far from an expert. I’m sure that I’ll be learning as I go, when it comes to managing my time, money, and health. But I can tell you this already—it’s worth the wait. Next time I write this, it will be from the passenger seat on our road trip out west, and I can’t wait to share new stories about these places I’ve never been before. After working and saving and planning for years, this doesn’t just feel like a great adventure, or a never ending vacation, although there’s a piece of that in there. It feels like a job well done, a goal accomplished, and a milestone worth celebrating. I plan to celebrate for a long time.