All In
Age 63
I have been trying for years to live by the principle of “Carpe Diem”, and want to embrace it even more fully.
I’m four months from turning 64, so this is current events for me! And “when I’m 64” I will be a year or less from retirement, and this is already a time of anticipation and change. Working from home has started the transition already, with COVID preparing me for life after commuting! I’m emotionally ready.
So this period is coincident for me with retirement. When I first retire I hope to have a period that feels like summer vacation as a kid, with the freedom to shape my days as I want. Even to be irresponsible sometimes, with nothing on my calendar that I didn’t happily choose to put there. I’m looking forward to little luxuries of time: a mid-morning latte in town, mid-day walks and hikes, no deadlines. At first this freedom will be key to me and I am VERY excited about that. But I also anticipate next chapters, since at 64 we’ll all be entering what we can hope will be several decades of life, so there’s a lot of opportunity for re-invention and exploration of new interests and pursuits. For starters I want to finish an article I started years ago and carried in my purse for ages, and then do something with it! I want to pursue new hobbies, but I’m not sure exactly which ones. Maybe picking up piano again; writing, more biking and hiking, more reading. I definitely look forward to more time with my family and friends.
I’m excited about post-COVID travel! And for longer---I’d love to spend a month overseas, perhaps heading to New Zealand as an early destination. In coming years I’d love to return to Europe, and explore new domestic National Park destinations too, hopefully with family joining us when they can. I hope to do more camping.
I have been trying for years to live by the principle of “Carpe Diem”, and want to embrace it even more fully. None of us is guaranteed any particular length of life, or good health, and I really really do not want to die wishing I’d done something that was within my reach. I’m going to do my level best to live by the Serenity Prayer, too----unproductive worry is a menace, and I do want to have the courage to make change when I can. And God knows there are many things that need changing in our country, so I will decide what causes I most care about and find a way to be helpful in those areas.
And I know that life will change. Some close friends will move away, there will be good and bad surprises, and I may feel differently about any number of things when I retire. But I’m excited about the next leg of the journey and so grateful to have wonderful friends and family to share it with!