Crafting a New Life

From suburban Calgary to a rural home on the bank of the Saint John River, is a big change. Teaching for 25 or so years, retiring and leaving that professional life at the same time makes it even bigger. So, as one friend digested that news, and thought about where I was living, the isolation, the change in environment and a new beginning at this stage of my life, she asked me in mock horror,

"Deb, what do you do all day? Aren't you bored?"

It was a good question, and probably one every retired professional has to face at some point when the last task has been completed, the final drawer emptied, the keys turned in, and your former colleagues are already turning back to the tasks at hand.

So, now what?

For the last number of years I have volunteered my time at local schools, engaged in writing with kids, volunteering in kids programs in churches and camps, explored memoir writing, flirted briefly with multi level marketing, built new friendships, began assisting my mom in caring for my dad who was diagnosed with AD shortly after we moved here. Gardening, painting, photography, writing; somehow my days have filled up and a new life is beginning to emerge. This one is full of self directed creative energy that seems to fuel both mind and body.

Beginning this blog seems to be a good place to anchor this mishmash of activity and see where it all leads. Somehow, it all seems connected and each bit enables me to tackle the next bit with a new level of skill. So, here I am, simply crafting, day by day.

#retirement