Just Retired? Could it be Time to Rewire Your Life?
Kick off the next phase of life by kicking ass!
I received a generous compliment from a fellow writer recently. He called me his ‘hero’ for leading the life that I now have after retiring. I was humbled to be thought of in this way. James Julian. Thank you, my friend.
Let’s give credit where credit is due for where and why I’m doing what I am today, in my late sixties. Yes, I’ve talked and written that it is only a decision away for anyone to do the same. In hindsight, though, it’s deeper than that.
Take a walk with me, and let’s chat about why I did what I did and why most won’t. Just an aside, your legs were not gifted to you to not be used or just for the purpose of keeping your head above water.
Before my wife and I decided to travel and live abroad after I retired, I remember a symbol of pending retirement that beckoned me daily. My over-stuffed, man-size, comfier than comfy electric recliner.
A magnificent specimen of furniture seemingly designed only for me. Ah, the hours spent whiling away short times of belly button watching and the occasional drivel on TV. And don’t forget those delightful cat naps, such a life that beckoned.
Hey dude, snap out of it! Yea, I remember now. Those visions and fears I had carried for years, bouncing around in my noggin, that if I and chair became one too many times for too many years, RC would no longer be a part of this world.
Yes, folks, a sad statistic. Get busy after you are not busy anymore or be found one day by your wife unable to get out of that chair. With the scary guy with the mask and cape on standing by saying, can I take him now? No thanks. Time to get my shit together and get busy.
Back around 1990, I had a boss that became a friend. He and I had numerous discussions about more meaningful topics than work. One topic was posed as a question to me by him.
“Hey, my friend, what are you going to do when all you have to do is chase Momma around the house? And what if said wife does not want to be chased anymore?”
Oh? Good question. I had not thought of that. Yea, he said, “Get to thinking about it before you can’t.”
So, jump forward to March 2022. My wife, bless her heart, had been doing research for years about moving back to Europe. She had lived in Austria, Germany, Egypt, and the UK, years ago and had always wanted to go back. On top of that, her son has lived in France for years.
One evening after work, and a shower, and dinner, and with nothing meaningful on TV, and being comfortably ensconced in my made just for me chair, she asked,
“Why don't you retire now and let’s move to Norway?”
Whoa, Nelly! Sweet wife of mine, I’m good with saying goodbye to work, but can I get back to you on the rest of that?
You know, friends, this is where the story gets to the point. I don’t remember now how long it took me to get back to her, but it wasn’t long after. Maybe a day or two, at the most. But within the time of that delayed response, this dude did a lot of pondering.
What if I do retire and I spend too much time in that chair? How long will I have? I already knew the stats, and they weren’t in my favor.
“Hey dear, let’s do it.”
That was March; by May, we had sold the house, downsized big time, yea, the chair too, and said adios to the US, planning never to return. You know, Norway or bust, or something like that.
Oh, I almost forgot, I left work April 8th, had double hernia surgery a week later. Minor inconvenience. My doc said you need to rest for a while. Sorry, doc, the tickets are bought; we be headed out soon.
You remember that word “Rewire” in the title. Here it is. For you to do anything significant after you retire, you will need a spark or to be juiced in a way that fires you up to get after it. Whatever it is.
And it has to be big and bold enough so that you don’t slink back into old routines that bore you, put the pounds on, and slowly suck the life out of what you have left. How about this?
Go big or go home. Because it’s true. What do you have to lose? Eliza Dushku
What am I doing now?
- How about multiple outings every day with a 90 lb. three-year-old German Shepherd?
- Metal detecting when Finn allows.
- Walking to stores because we chose to go without wheels.
- Playing at the beach at least once a week.
- And last but definitely, the highlight of my now “rewired” life writing on this little platform.
Life could not be sweeter.
In closing, here is one thought I wish for you to ponder. If you get too far down the path of retirement and you haven’t made a decision on doing something that will rewire you, your life will make that decision for you, and you may not like it.
Thanks for reading.
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