I have no regrets. At least seven bene-fits come to mind as I consider how semi-retirement fits my life today.
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A sneak peek at “semi-retirement,” while revisiting a favorite Thanksgiving post.
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A sore right shoulder. A noisy kitchen appliance. And November 9.
These three things actually could save my life.
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Soon, I’ll be joining the loons on our southward migration for the winter. It’s been a good summer. I’ve learned a few things in this grand experiment that I can take with me on my future journeys back and forth.
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I turned 60 this past year, and I admit I have qualms about joining the ranks of older persons. Is my aging body a sign of weakness? Will others look at me and assume I’m incapable? If I let my hair go gray, will others see me as irrelevant?
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Looking back, I can see that the adjustment to an empty nest happened in three stages. For me, each one was a necessary part of the process. The first two stages were a matter of survival, while the third one helped me thrive.
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Most young adults walk into the world of health insurance with no health issues, or perhaps one or two minor ones. That was the case with our older children who had made this transition. While there was some stress, it was not unlike other stressors in their new adventure of adulting.
But young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (or other major health issues) have additional struggles.
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How many times have you asked for a recipe and then, when you pulled it from your files, forever connected it to the person who first shared it?
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Fear can be a good thing. It protects from danger, preserves life in the face of enemies, and keeps offspring safe from harm. While wild animals fear humans, it’s common sense for humans to fear wild animals as well.
Wildlife is just that…wild life. Our role is to respect, protect, and care for the creatures we share this earth with.
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…We stopped a couple of times along the way for some amazing mountain vista views. We weren’t sure if we were looking at Denali or not, so we texted our Alaskan cousins who replied, “You’ll know it when you see it! (IF you see it.)”
But at 20,310 feet—nearly four miles high—how could we not see it?
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“How did we get so lucky?” I asked my husband, as we took in the view. From the porch of our Minnesota cabin, “our lake” looked stunningly blue through the white birch and pine trees.
Our cabin on the lake was an unexpected dream come true at the end of last summer. And although it’s already given us many happy moments, and promises years of delight in the future, it hasn’t come without some pain and struggle.
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Ellie was feeling the weariness of carrying another baby. With three little girls already, she hoped this fourth one would be the boy her husband so wanted to help carry on the farming someday. Of course, she wouldn’t trade her girls for anything, but it was common knowledge that a girl couldn’t become a farmer. Farmwife? Yes. But farming was a man’s job.
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Here in southwest Michigan, Spring is springing! She’s donned her redbud trees with purple jewels (I wonder why they aren’t called Purplebuds?). My favorite tree of all–the dogwood–holds its blossoms in tight little fists, ready at any moment to open that door, throw open its hands with pink and white whisps and yell, “Surprise! I’m here!”
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By the time we got to picture day, my anxiety had rubbed off on everyone. We were all uptight, cranky, and not in the mood to smile. My kids were unruly and mischievous. In response, I was impatient and irritable. The only thing that rose higher than the pitch of my voice was my blood pressure.
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Because there were three full chicken coops on the farm, I spent my Saturdays gathering eggs. While my friends laughed about Saturday morning cartoons at school on Monday, I grumbled about the injustices of being a farmer’s daughter.
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How was your week? Here's a rundown of mine, some recommended memoirs, and a story about work and rest.
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A story of seed-planting, bean-snapping, and tending to all that we love. When we realize our loved one's days are numbered, we’re reminded to tend to them with loving care.
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