Golden Glow of Retirement

November 10, 2026

Taking a walk on a warm autumn afternoon with golden light streaming through the leaves at 2 pm is one of the perks of being retired. The crunch of colorful leaves beneath my tennis shoes was punctuated today with the “pop-pop” of acorns in some parts of the neighborhood. Oh, and the blue of the cloudless sky was exquisite!

A block from the house, a  neighbor stopped me  to update me on her new job; the rescue kitty she has just gotten neutered and her adult son’s plans to stay in the house as she relocates for work. We chatted for 10 minutes on a Tuesday afternoon before she returned to raking and I headed on for the remaining trek around the neighborhood. One of the great things about retirement is the gentler pace. I wanted to get some exercise but there was no urgency that prevented me from taking time to connect with a longtime friend.

In our conversation, Julie asked if I ever get bored. At this point, I reassured her “no, never.” Some wonderful volunteer activities, a tiny part-time job and a bit of subbing as a librarian have filled much of my time. Other tasks expand to fill in the gaps. A second or third cup of coffee as I read the paper is not uncommon. Time to chat with an old friend who is struggling with a child’s choices fits easily into my schedule.

Truth be told, I enjoy not having to rush as much to get things done. Alone time is one of my favorite things, and I rarely had much when I worked a 40 plus hour job. Now, I can schedule a doctor’s appointment or a walk with a friend whenever I like. There are daytime exercise classes and books to read. Slowly, I am adding research to the book I am writing and plugging away at editing earlier chapters.

At almost 60, I  have a pension that I earned through many years of service in the school system. Now I get to reap the rewards of that challenging and not always lucrative career. We will never be rich, nor will we be able to travel the globe on endless trips abroad, but Nick and I are able to take at least one bucket list trip annually.  Weekend trips within driving distance, or day trips are easily manageable, especially now that I have weekdays available to take care of things around the house and yard.

I hear there are those who fail at retirement. I can’t imagine that will be me. If I get to see new things and learn new concepts now and again, I am very happy. I know myself well enough to recognize I need a certain amount of social activity each week and I desire a few ongoing projects to stimulate my brain. Yes, the tempo, the cadence, and the time to savor each season will be plenty for me.