I
“When you retire, what will you do?”
People said to me
“I’m not thinking what to do,” I said,
“I simply want to be.”
No deadlines hanging over me,
No lists of what I’ve done
Enough to see what films are on
Enjoy the summer sun.
When sitting chatting with a friend,
No need to rush and go
“You keeping busy?” people ask.
Smiling, I say, “No!”
II
And yet – the busy life I had,
That was happy too.
Focused days; each hour was filled
With always more to do.
A book to write, a class to teach,
Another marking sheet,
A conference call to organise,
A paper to complete.
I wouldn’t wish all that away.
It’s part of she who’s me.
But now I’ve space for more than that.
I’m taking time to be.
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Comments2
Well summarised, Morwenna - My twenty years of retirement (longer than I ever spent in any of the many jobs I had during an extensive and varied working life) has been great and I've enjoyed every one of them.
I hope both you and I have many more.
Thanks Dave, dear Heart. I doubt I'll achieve 20 years but it's possible I might make 16 which would overtake the number of years in any one job.
a read I could relate with
so easily..
thanks for sharing, dear poet
(Personally
I surrender to the inevitability
of stages, in a life..
try to cherish the best
of my past
and attempt
to squeeze out, all the yield
in my present
all the rest, I leave to fate
trying not to waste
that modicum of control
I'm afforded..)
Oh thank you! That is lovely. And yes, that kind of surrender is exactly what I believe: it's all swings and roundabouts.
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