At our age, we often ponder if it’s time to hang up “old fashioned work” and just retire. Is retirement even a biblical word, I wonder sometimes. What do you do then? Sit and think? Go fishing? Travel - on no money - which would require becoming gypsies on our part and that seems like a lot of work in the long run. Go work down at the local soup kitchen for the homeless? Raise grandkids so our kids wouldn’t have to be responsible for their own? Sell out and rent in town so we can spend our days playing cards and dominos down at the Senior Center?
I’m thinking none of these - except maybe helping out at the soup kitchen with our time and talent if we’re needed there more than somewhere else. So, ok that’s an option, but not a full-time call.
It’s been coming to me of late that as we are downsizing (materially and physically for our age) it’s getting closer and closer to the time of making some life changing decisions. We’ve been praying for discernment, looking for answers, discussing options. It’s not something we can rush into. At least we’ve learned SOMETHING in our golden years.
The farm for the first time in years, has been downsized to a manageable-for-now size by letting go of the business end of raising and selling family dairy cows and milk goats, fresh farm eggs, chickens and livestock guardian puppies, to keeping just a handful of our favorite animals for our own amusement, enjoyment and for the grandkids to have hands-on experience and fun with.
The house and yard have been for the most part, de-cluttered as unused items have been sold or given away. THAT has taken some doing on our part. It’s hard to let go of things from the past, but once they’re gone, it’s amazing how it lightens the load and makes it easier to look ahead, with the resolve not to re-clutter.
All in all, we are closer to making the decisions of what to do next. There are so many options, as I’ve just mentioned. But, what would work for us and our life together for the next how ever many years we have left? We partly have an idea of what we would like it to consist of.
I know the Husband would love to quite his half-time job that requires so much physical exertion three days a week, a good portion working outside no matter the weather or season of the year. As a survivor of three heart surgeries, two major back and spine injuries, one gangrened gallbladder removed with on-going issues, one hernia mesh surgery with issues and a long history of kidney stones and the surgical removal of several, he would love to slow down and breath deeply for a change. He would putter around the place and keep everything looking good in the yard and on the property. He would love to spend more time with the grandkids. His desire has always been to have a workshop to tinker in alone – and with the grandkids. He loves it when we can travel together, even though it’s mostly over-night journeys that we can afford, or a couple of days in a direction we haven’t been, or doing something we haven’t yet experienced. I do know he’s ready to slow down, but not to stop.
As a homemaker, I will always have the responsibility of keeping a home, no matter where we are. This is no small task and I take it very seriously and do it with much care and devotion. Now that I am a Grandmother, I take that role as seriously and passionately as when I was raising my own children. Only now instead of raising them, I can just enjoy them, love them, help out when needed and watch them grow, as their own parents do such a wonderful job of keeping them and raising them. I consider this one of the greatest blessings in my life!
If it’s possible, I will always have flowers and/or a flower and herb garden, at least one. This makes my heart happy and also keeps me grounded! Until I am too old to take care of myself and something or someone else, I will always have a tiny herd of dairy goats. This is even more important to me than a cat, even more than a dog. I’m not sure how that will work in an apartment environment, if it ever comes to that, or a city dwelling of some kind. I’m glad I don’t have to cross that bridge just yet, if at all.
What I would like to add to my bucket list and something I have wanted to do, planned and anticipated doing, and even got a few jump-starts on, is writing in my old age. I always planned and have patiently waited until I turned 60 (which I have) before I would begin this. And for good reason. One of my life’s mentors has always been Laura Ingalls Wilder. She began her writing career in her mid-sixties and into her 70’s. She had something to say. I knew many years ago, whenever I would get the urge to “begin writing” that I really had nothing to say. I had little experience with real life, so therefore lacked wisdom, and I had not cultivated enough knowledge to write about. I also had very little time that wouldn’t take away from something much more important, like family and responsibilities. So I waited. At times, with much anticipation. But I waited, knowing that God would send me something to write about, and a reason for it, because I never had any desire to write as a career. I now have some serious life experiences, a bit and maybe a lot more wisdom, and a specific passion for which to write. I don’t quite have enough time yet, though, to devote hours and hours to it. I squeeze it in here and there – like now.
So, as we plan the changes of our near future together, continue to downsize and simplify our lifestyle and choices, and listen for how it all fits into the will of God, I do know that we will never purposely give up “old fashioned work” or embrace a retirement that allows one to sit and waste away, enjoying what we think is “owed us”. We will keep doing the work of our hands - for the greater honor and glory of God, grateful to Him for each and every day together and embracing the time to cherish these happy golden years ~ enjoying the journey together.
Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be
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~ Gwen of IRISH ACRES
