The Most Wonderful Time

I know I have really been talking about my new retirement stage but I gotta tell you...it is a new stage for me and I didn't know there was so much new to experience and enjoy.

Yesterday as always we were at the pool. We get in the pool for about an hour and a half. I get a chance to exercise which I have not been able to do for about ever. My muscles won't take it on land but the pool does the trick. It feels awesome.

Then we get out and read for about another hour or so. We have the pool to ourselves. An occasional passing by of the park manager, pool manager or maintenance man, but really solitude at most part.

I got to a stopping spot in my book so I put it away and waited for Jim to get to a spot where he wanted to quit. I just sat there in awe. It was so beautiful. The gorgeous pool glimmering in the brilliant sunlight. the totally blue blue skies with not a cloud. I am a cloud lover but yesterday was beautifully blue. We have tons of yellow pines surrounding the pool, with about 8" pine needles of the most beautiful green on them. They looked even greener against the blue sky. There were no sounds of cars or people, only the occasional distant soft hum of the pool filter once in a while. Birds were singing. The mockingbirds were abundant. Get it? You could even hear the wind approaching from a distance.

Isn't this beautiful? Only it was even more so with the deep blue cloudless sky and brilliant sunshine!

Then it dawned on me what a blessing I was experiencing. There Jim and I sat for about an hour, not saying a word, but so being together. We were both into our books yet so enjoying the time together without saying a word. 

Being able to spend this kind of block time together is something we have never got to do. There was always school, band, homework, kids, work...all those pieces of life that never would give us this kind of time.

Now I understand retirement. I believe God meant for it to be...for everyone. Even Jim, who said he wouldn't retire until he absolutely had to, now says that everyone should retire as soon as possible. It is suddenly our time. The time we have worked for. From being together as teenage "lovers"...we never dated anyone else and started dating when I was a sophomore...to young marrieds...parents...laborers like everyone else in the world. 

But now it is our time. Time to do what we want. To be able to act on the spur of the moment. The time not to have to work appointments around other people's time lines. Time to linger on the computer more than we should because other things are pressing. The time to be able to say to people, no rush...whenever you have time.

What can I say to you? I can say work hard now. It is what we are all called to do. Do your best at whatever is on your plate. But when it is time to retire. Do it. Even if it means paring down the finances as most will have to do. It is what every person's system needs. Listen to me. I know in my heart I am absolutely right and you will never regret it.

This is not where this post was going but it went there so I am leaving it. Maybe someone needed to hear it. I hope so.

Humm. I still have not scrapped. Went to get it out yesterday and my pen tablet had a problem. So put it down and will conquer it today. Now I am really itching to get at it.

I think there is just one page I have done that I have not posted. It is of Gloria's family just having some great family time together playing games. So I am going to post it then get busy on some more!! I have to have something to post!!!

That is it for now. Thanks for taking time to stop by. Have a beautiful day.