I may have a number of posts with the title “Things to do,” but this is my first. It’s surely not the first time I’ve thought about or even acted upon “things to do,” though!
I had lunch with one of my dearest friends today who is retiring in a very short amount of time. It’s very exciting for him and vicariously for me. He has worked for the organization we both work for for over 35 years, in essence his entire working life. While we are both about the same age, I have only worked for this organization for under 20 years. Which is why I cannot retire today and he can (darn it).
However, the fact that I have not worked for the same place for all those years and in fact spent some of those years jobless or working contract or part time, meant the I found other things to do with my time OUTSIDE of working. I found purpose in my life away from the structure of work.
I know I’ll have plenty to do in retirement. In conversations with my friend, I think he may find it more challenging. In the long run, though, I know he’ll be fine, especially with me around as his friend <grin>.
In truth, every one of us fall into routines we associate with who we are. It’s human nature to get in a rut, even when we really love what we’re doing. It can be hard to imagine doing something else. When I do exercises to help me discover my purpose in life I get stuck thinking INSIDE the box. I know what I know, this is my life. Thinking OUTSIDE the box can be very challenging and even scary.
And it can be very exciting and life changing. I will be here for my friend and I know we’ll both learn from each other as he makes his transition into retirement. Or better yet, into life lived according to his own desires. That’s really what it’s all about. Put that way, I feel sad because so many of us live our lives denying our own desires in the interest of making money and when it comes time that we can live according to our own desires, we have no idea what they are.
But we’re never too old to rediscover them.
