Filling Up Your Time

Yesterday, while sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office, I started up a casual conversation with a stranger.  I mentioned I was a recent retiree and he told me that he was too.  He was also a former employee of Humana and a lifer like me.  It turned out that our paths had probably crossed unknowingly and that we knew many of the same people.  On his way out of the waiting room he said, "I have some retirement advice for you.  Don't be too quick to fill up your time.  It will fill up for you".  

Over the years whenever I have talked to someone who was retired, whether they wanted to be or not, most of them told me that in retirement they were busier than ever.  I guess their time filled up for them.

In recent days I am feeling more comfortable with retirement.  I am calm and peaceful.  This may not be a direct result of retirement.  I think it is more a result of the renewed practice of meditation.  At least one a day, and usually twice a day, I sit for twenty minutes and simply breathe.  My walks in the park enjoying nature also help.  I am more relaxed, calmer, and less prone to anxiety and depression.  I guess my psyche is settling down after nearly two months of living a simpler life.

Slowly my days are finding a balance between solitude, activity, and taking care of daily chores.  Occasionally I have lunch with a friend.  The downtime does not feel as overwhelming as it initially felt.  I stretch things out so that no one day is nonstop activity.  The picture above is not recent but it does reflect the ease I am starting to feel in my life.  I expect nothing and strive to appreciate everything as it is.