As I get older, the more I find I want to just slow down. I am not interested in this experience followed by that one, of rushing here to be able to rush there. I just want to slow down my life and enjoy it. This is probably related to simple math: the older you get, the less time you have. As a result, you want to enjoy it.
Retirement from an official job and job duties is looming ahead. Preparations for such are underway. While a lot of information has been gathered, there are still unknowns – which hopefully will be revealed in the not-too-distant future – so that final decisions can be made. There is also a potential golden handshake coming in the next year and a half, and if so, I hope the qualifications are in my favor.
I have been on vacation for the last two weeks, and have enjoyed my time immensely. Each day has been conscientiously filled with things I want to do, with my thinking about what I want to do and why. I’m an introvert, so it is very easy to get lost in my head and forget to reach outward for human contact, whether family or friend. Those contacts are very important. With them, the world becomes balanced and isolation does not set in.
In the past 20 years, 7 people I have known have died, through disease or accident, and few others are seriously ill. Most have gone in the past 5. My mortality is right there in front of me. I no longer feel like I will live forever, like I did just ten years ago. Even my own health has its problems.
So, yeah, I’ve been thinking. And doing. Doing is the key to it all: action and take in what I have around me. Savor it. Cherish it. Live it.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 
I’ve got 9 years left until I can retire, but hubby has just retired and gone back to work 2 days a week to keep some pennies coming in, I only do 3 days a week anyway, you’ll be fine because of your creative pursuits and can do them all in your own good time!
Oh, how I look forward to that day! What is the usual retirement age in England? Here, about 65-66.
67 now, I could have retired at 60 if I’d been born 2 years later- they changed it a little while back 😦
Bummer. Here it can be as early as 62 if you aren’t disabled to collect social security, but then you are limited in the amount of money you can earn annually. At 66 you can earn any amount on top of social security or certain pensions (like me). They try to sweeten retirement by increasing the amount 8% every year from 66 to 70, making it possible to have a 32% increase in a 4 year period. Me, don’t think I am likely to do that! Gimme money, that’s what I want!
Best of luck. Retirement can be double edged. Think through what you wAnt to do and go for it. It is certainly very easy to become reclusive.
Thanks, Graham. I agree!