TRANSITIONS IN RETIREMENT

Now that I’m retired, and healthy and fit and happy with where I’ve chosen to live, I find myself wondering who I am. I’ve spent most of my life being someone’s daughter, wife, mother, employee, grandmother, REALTOR and friend. I’m still a wife, friend, step mom and grandmother but all the other roles are gone. The search now is to find out how I can still be of value to my world, how I can remain involved in the things that have always interested me?   And finally, how to best communicate the new me to others…

At times I drive myself to find that new road ASAP, other times I find I just want to do nothing, maybe just curl up with a book. After all, I’m retired. Other times I ask myself why I feel this pressure. There are no longer any deadlines and no accountability to anyone but myself. Time has a new meaning to me now. Then, there are times when I think of the journey and what remains and become aware that the road ahead isn’t as long as it once was. At such times, the feeling of having to make the most of the time I have comes back.

As I look at my retired friends, I see both ends of the spectrum. Some do virtually nothing, watch TV, read, but that’s it. Most are OK with this, but some feel a vague sense of unease. Others have found something about which they have been passionate but never had the time to pursue. Yet others are involved in more things than they were before retirement. Still others feel they have to be on the move, cover all continents, see all national parks, drive cross-country or cross Europe. Some focus exclusively on family – being there for all at all times.

So what is the best way to re-define one’s self? Which route is best? Which is the most rewarding?

The answer for me is that there is no “best” way. I’m in search of what feels more comfortable and meaningful for me. Each one of us has to find what feels comfortable and meaningful. Time is what one defines for oneself, now, tomorrow, next month, next year, none is better than any other.

I’m finding the only “must” for me is to challenge my mind, to not lose touch with the world, with friends, and with trends. I also plan to stay physically active to the degree health permits.

I have found two helpful sites to share with you. Please click below for more information and ideas:

Useful Links

www.aaa1c.org

www.eldercare.gov

www.aarp.org/moneytools

www.retirement-living.com

www.retirementOnline

www.55communityguide.com

Feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.

THE VERSATILE NUTMEG

Grenada is called the Spice Island because of the great variety of spices grown and used here. I’ll start with nutmeg which is such a fantastic plant/fruit.

The trees are medium height, have beautiful, shiny bright green leaves and dot the island everywhere. The fruit, from a distance looks like a peach. As it ripens, it opens up and the bright red lacey mace covering the nut appears. Once picked, the outer shell and the mace of are removed. The nut is then dried and packaged either with the outer hard shell intact or the shell removed.

Nothing of the fruit is wasted, the shell is used for jams and jellies, the mace as a milder form of the nutmeg seasoning, the hard outer shell is used for mulching. Nutmeg is used in the various ways throughout the world. One of my favorite uses is nutmeg ice cream.

For more on nutmeg, go to www.hotellaurina.com

Enjoy!