Recently Retired

Recently retired I have gone from a very structured week to the feeling that I am “on holidays” in waiting for that elusive occupation that will give me a sense of purpose. This is not to say that fun activities such as travelling are not purposeful. I adore travelling, am a huge reader and love to cook as well, but you do feel that these are somehow frivolous pursuits. Gordon Ramsay would no doubt love to hear that his profession is ‘frivolous’.

Should I take up a hobby or perhaps learn a language or take a course? Is volunteering the way to go? Do I become a slave to my house and garden? Perhaps I can turn myself into a fitness fanatic and walk endless miles around my suburb or become a regular at the local gym. What about a rewired life of starting a business from home. Jam making comes to mind. There’s a mango glut this season and mango jam or chutney could do well.

So there are endless possibilities and some less fortunate souls yearning for more time to do exactly what they want would tell me in no uncertain terms to “just get a life”.

Yes, but how to do it. Do I step out confidently into an activity only to find that I have committed myself for months and am secretly bored with the whole venture? I have always been one of those people who have been focused on my job and family so other pursuits have been placed on the back burner and I think I am now paying the price. Would I want to be the person who was president of this or that club, immersed in writing a book, an adrenaline junkie (perhaps not the latter. I hate heights and speed which seem to be the prerequisites).

There is much advice about the baby boomer generation re-shaping the future with their wants and needs. I think that generation (my generation) has the potential to make all kinds of changes to society in a mostly positive fashion. Point me in the right direction and I know big things can be accomplished.

Friends tell me it is early days yet and not to get ahead of myself. In the meantime I take care of my only grandchild one day a week and he and I go off on many adventures together. Life is good. I have good health and a wonderful family and friends. Perhaps I should just take the advice of many a self help guru and live in the moment. The structure will take care of itself.