Sunshine,
Food for the winter soul,
Cold heart warming,
Fresh breath of spring,
Welcome.
As long as I can remember we, my husband and I, have worked under stringent time constraints. Our calendars and watches dictated the day. Things were organized at our house. Breakfast at six a.m., dinner at six p.m., lots of commitments, errands and projects in-between.
This coming May, for the first time in our lives, we’ll not be under time constraints, we’ll be officially retired. Okay, I’ll continue writing novels because it’s what I do, a part of me. Without it I’d soon be miserable. But my husband is no longer tied to a schedule. He doesn’t have to preserve vacation days and count down the hours each weekend. He’s free to sleep in, go for a ride or a walk, read for three hours, all without feeling guilty.
Best of all, we get to travel. Forget the hurried week here, the long weekend there. Now we just go where our noses and the wind lead us. Finally, we’ll have time to see the country, stay a month in Europe, go on bike trips and fishing until we get bored. I’m curious to see how we’ll like it. How long it takes to get used to freedom from schedules. We still need purpose. Without it we shrivel. My purpose is clear: write more books and short stories. Okay, mostly books, few short stories.
For my husband purpose has to develop organically: from his hobbies, his interests and his knowledge. The world is open. There will be no porch sitting for us, but each day filled with joy and adventure, new experiences and growth.
And of course lots of reading and writing.