It isn't much of a secret that CA and I have recently completed a three month "vacation" in the south. This was a retirement honeymoon - a celebration trip - a fact finding excursion and a reunion with family. We are keenly aware of the phase of life in which we live. Gears are shifting, breaks are squealing, the numbers are totaling up faster than we can count. It's fun and it's sobering. Bartender - can I have another?
As I write this, the sun is setting at 7:30 and shafts of evening light are cutting through the woods in the back, bouncing off one tree and then another until all is in shadow. Evening time. A parable of life as I know it.
I have tried to come up with a meaning for it all. It's what I do, you could say. So far I have come up empty. The entire trip was, as I have said, a celebration of retirement. That's as close as I can get, and I am satisfied with that. A friend asked me if I had kept a journal of the trip. I was sorry to say that I had posted a few blogs but had not kept a daily journal. I always keep a journal of sorts but did not do that on this trip.
One of our intentions - other than enjoying the ride - was to "see" if living in Florida was a viable choice for us. The answer to that question came up soon into the journey. No, it is not a viable option. More exactly, we just don't want to do that now. But there is a fundamental lesson we have all learned a long time ago: time changes everything. Never say never.
Meanwhile, we drove to the very tip of he country in Key West, a mild disappointment, which I have spoken of elsewhere. CA swam with the dolphins at Grassy Key. Her swim partner was a direct descendent of the original Flipper. This was #1 on her bucket list. #2 is to ride a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon next summer. Oh boy!
We toured Savanna, drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shenandoah Skyway. We walked beneath the "Natural Bridge" - the most commercialized natural feature on the continent - and touched the Viet Nam Wall on Memorial Day.
If there is a pop quiz today, I would have to say that the meaning of it all is that I am glad to be home in Maine where most of the garden is in, and most of the grass is cut. I mean, how good can it get?
Jerry,
ReplyDelete"I love being old." I had not thought of it that way but in my youth, I knew that I looked forward to being "old." But I never thought about defining it, well, here it is, "old." There is much I actually like about it, among the things is the assortment of experiences, joys and trials through the years that lead to as ease of knowing how much energy to use in responding to life around me. Curiously, having led a creative life also leads to garnering a curious assortment of skills that I enjoy - being able to do certain things without having to figure out "how" to do them... Thanks for the stimulus. Keep writing and sharing, old man. Jo Eaton
Dear Jo - Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure, but I don't think anyone ever commented on my profile statement. A few people pick up my links on FB and comment there but never on the actual blog or podcast sites. On growing old: I know so many people who suffer some physical problem even when younger. At 82, I am keenly aware of the brief time left to me and that intensifies my gratitude for what health I do have. I am a lucky man. Thanks again for stopping by. JH
DeleteI RETIRED 04/04/04 OPERATED ON, TRIPLE BY-PASS 04/28/04 AND THEN WALKED FOR THREE MONTHS AND MOVED TO NY WHERE I NOW SIT. YES I FISHED FOR SALMON IN PULASKI,NY THE NEXT TIME I GO WE WILL BE CATCHING. I DO MAKE MYSELF A GOOD BREAKEFAST BUT IF MY DR. GIVES ME ONE MORE PILL I WILL BE ABLE TO SKIP BREAKFAST ALL TOGETHER. WE WILL GET TO MAINE SOON BUT DON'T KNOW WHEN. TRIP TO KEY WEST,O'BOY...YOUR FRIEND JIM SHIELDS JS AS PAT SAYS WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO GROWING OLD, I'D RATHER BE OLD
DeleteIs that really you Jimmy? I am quite pleased that you found me here. I do hope you are well. Keep on fishing, and let me know if you get to Maine.
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