Last week I posted the first installment of a piece I wrote in response to a writing prompt about ten years in the future. Today, I’m sharing the second part. I hope you like it!
I turned fifty-five, Gerry and I retired, sold our house, and bought cozy bungalow in the tiny town of Okotoks, Alberta. We were twenty minutes from my grandson and less than forty-five minutes from my granddaughter. I had the time I had so desperately wanted to inhabit my home in a way I had not been able to for many years. I created a sanctuary in our home and delighted in stepping into a role I had envisioned while I sat in meeting-after-meeting at my corporate job. I cooked, canned fruit, made quilts, and spent as much time as possible with my beautiful and brilliant grandchildren.
On this morning as I rise to Chair Pose I find my body remembering those first months of yoga practice — my routine too rushed to provide the full benefit — but a beginning and a commitment and resolution to make self-care a priority. It was the right thing to do at the time. The morning yoga and meditation practice grounded me and helped me to reach deep within myself to that place where my core self was waiting, it lifted the tension from my shoulders, and gave me the resolve to commit to a healthier lifestyle.
I smile to myself as I roll up the yoga mat. I have a busy day ahead of me — busier, in many ways, than my corporate job was — but my time is my own now, I set the pace and the schedule, I am doing things that fulfill me, I take time to nourish my body and my soul, and the combination of those things makes all the difference.
Soon, Gerry will rise and we will have breakfast together: a piece of toast with my homemade jam and a boiled egg, or a dish of homemade yogurt with fresh berries. We will take the dogs for a walk and chat about the upcoming day. It’s Thursday, and on Thursdays I go to the retirement home where I meet with a lively group of senior women to help them write the stories of their lives. Some of the ladies are there mostly for the fellowship, and that’s okay, but there are a others who are earnestly trying to write the story of their lives and I help them as best as I can. Their tales are fascinating, they have all lived lives that on the outside appear ordinary, but upon closer examination are filled with adventure and wisdom. These stories deserve to be written down and saved for future generations; in fact we are planning to publish an anthology of these older women’s stories one day soon.
Now this sounds like a such a peaceful retirement, just bliss for you. I especially like the idea of making home a sanctuary. It’s at the root of so much we do, our coming and going from the nest.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, Linda 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Joanne!
Terry and I have these gentle rythyms to our lives, too. They’re among my favorite retirement pass times. As for what the next ten years will bring? My laundry list is an anthology all by itself 🙂
It’s one of the things I appreciate most about aging, the willingness to slow down and enjoy life more.
Dear Linda,
I’m so glad that I’ve been here to read your first and now your second installments of your retirement visualization trilogy. I do so hope that this is what happens for you. The making your home a true sanctuary for the enhancement of your inner self.
The following sentences really spoke to me: “Their tales are fascinating, they have all lived lives that on the outside appear ordinary, but upon closer examination are filled with adventure and wisdom. These stories deserve to be written down and saved for future generations; in fact we are planning to publish an anthology of these older women’s stories one day soon.”
Like you, I think that all of us seem quite ordinary to the causal onlooker, but within, we “are filled with adventure and wisdom.” I do so hope the time comes when you can encourage women to share that wisdom in an anthology. What a great and wonder wish for your retirement.
Dee, you have stories to tell too. I’m pleased you’re using your blog to share them with us.
Dear Linda,
Yep! This is pretty much how my days go since I retired in August minus the quilting and teaching writing classes to seniors(though both of those sound lovely!) I’m busier than ever but now I am doing what I want to do. May all these wonderful visualizations become a self-fulfilling prophecy for your retirement. Dream on!
Blessings,
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Almost everyone I talk to who has retired talks about being busier than ever doing things they want to do. I’m happy you’re finding a new rhythm in retirement too.
Linda
Is that what the Story Circle O.W.L. groups are about — helping older women get their stories down? I think that is such a wonderful idea! Will they give you some training on how to run a group like that? (or is this the Saturday writers’ group you’ve already started?)
This is what OWL is about, Becky! Here is a link to more information.http://www.storycircle.org/owlcircle/about.shtml It’s a great thing I hope to become involved with post-retirement.