Redirecting

To what?

Over the years of walking trails, I have found that even walking a defined path offers surprises along the way. My known path has been 42 years in education and so while there were many twists and turns along the way, it was a path defined by my vocational choice. 

Now, upon retiring at the expected and re-adjusted Social Security age of 66.6 for my group of Boomers,  I found before me an undefined path - a road never traveled, ending who knows where. This unknownness is exuberantly freeing, yet paralyzingly open-ended. As someone who has tried to work with efficiency and strategy and long term goals, to have unlimited time and accountability (who cares if I accomplish something or not?) is a major shift. To go from large aims and purposes to realizing the world is going on without you...to realize that you may not see many friends and colleagues who live geographically distant from you...to lose interest in things you were intensely focused on for years. 

 It has taken some time and reflection and self assessment to process all this while at the same time dealing with needed attention to medical needs, such as my third back fusion surgery, and subsequent limitations and frustrations about how fast I wanted recovery to go.

 

However, I believe God has made us to be resilient and we get to choose how we approach each day. He also brings new opportunities into our lives that give us meaning and purpose. He provides others to walk the journey with and I am so blessed by local friends and the luxury of spending time with others who share similar interests.

 I share some aspects of my journey here in the hopes that it may encourage others walking a similar path to redirect and be encouraged on the journey!