The Meaning Of Retirement

"Well, how's retirement going?" My journal for the last month answers this frequent inquiry, but probably not as the various questioners might expect. Let me explain.

Retirement affords time to travel.

We drove north to Harrison to visit Aunt Rabbit (a.k.a. Mabel Rose Tyson, now almost 91) and took her to Maplewood Cemetery where she has relatives buried. Tomorrow it's south to the Deal Cemetery near Ladelle (Drew County) to visit our daughter's grave; next week north again to take my dad to Walnut Grove Cemetery near Hector.

Necessitated by a midnight fall over his nightstand, I've twice traveled with my dad to the emergency room. There have also been six trips to physical therapy for treatment of the slow-healing wound and at least 20 more trips to change bandages.

Retirement allows time for social interaction.

Recent social activities included caging a squalling Brudderman for his trip to the vet and my annual eye doctor appointment.

Then we cleaned house all day in preparation for our son's 24 birthday party. The interaction began around 2:00 a.m. the next morning as the dozen little cucumber sandwiches I had blissfully gobbled painfully made their way back up. Four times.

Retirement means relief from anxieties and concerns.

Besides the cornucopia of other interesting tidbits Marcella Rauch's letters usually contain, she reports this week that the gray kitty has disappeared. Though she hopes that a good owner has found it, she expresses concern for three cute kittens that do need homes. And I share her feelings.

And the topic of my weekly Bible study lessons -- Why Doesn't God Do Something Right Now? -- certainly reflects my current atmosphere.

Retirement means no more time wasted in brainless commuting.

I ordered a book by H.C. Bailey, author of many mystery stories in the early 20th century but not so well know known today. Having heard nothing after two weeks, I canceled the order, but the bookseller shipped anyway. Yesterday I brainlessly commuted to the post office to return it.

Then when the cable I bought for connecting my cell phone to my computer didn't work, I commuted to the post office again to process another return. The investment of time required to compel computer stuff to live up to its claims often far outweighs the supposed advantages.

Retirement allows time to write more.

Amid the other retirement activities mentioned above, I struggle just to get my weekly column submitted on time. I'm already a day late this week. And the pipe dream of being able to complete and polish longer manuscripts is out of the question.

So how's retirement going?

Retirement seems to be the time of life when circumstances once held at bay by the workaday world are suddenly unleashed to clamor for their share of attention.

Copyright 2004 James McAlister

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