How often have you wished for more time to do things not on your to-do list? Things like reading a book at leisure, cooking a beautiful meal, or chatting with people you pass by every day.
Yet so many of us fear the time when we will ostensibly have more time—retirement. We fear letting go of routine, the emptiness of our diaries, the absence of obligation, and freedom itself.
I’ve seen from many retirees that this freedom is not to be feared. Instead, it is a time when you can fill your days with small but meaningful activities simply for the joy they bring.
One man tells me how he’s learned to cook and loves it, mastering everything from fluffy rice to flavourful stews. Another expresses his joy in learning to paint. Someone else finds delight in a rewilding project, cultivating indigenous plants, and transplanting hundreds of trees. Others have returned to old passions, like playing in an orchestra or singing in a choir. Others find fulfilment in new roles, such as entertaining residents at a retirement home or becoming the community handyman.
Many express their enjoyment of a healthier lifestyle, taking pride in gaining strength and flexibility.
I hear of meaningful journeys: road trips to visit old friends, returning to birthplaces, or giving children a glimpse into their parents’ lives before they were born. I hear stories of deeper connections with grown kids, sharing struggles and burdens that could not have been shared before.
These snippets of retirement give me hope. They help me see the picture of living—real living—not just waiting to die.
We don’t have to wait until retirement for this kind of living, either. It isn't easy to feel alive when our lives are too scheduled and filled to the brim with obligations—it is difficult to feel free.
We may never get to experience retirement. I am reminded that it is a privilege not afforded to everyone. But these stories inspire me to live more fully now. I want to make more space for truly living.
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Kind regards,
Sunél