Retired for almost a year and a half
by Elisa
(Chandler, AZ)
I retired from a large bank after 20 years with them and 47 years of full time employment. (time spent working my way up, I guess!)
After a well-known scandal at my Large Bank (which will remain nameless), the entire management staff was "furloughed" and replaced by more people of the same philosophy.
I decided that since I was eligible for retirement and was still lucky enough to have a younger (still employed) husband to carry the income load, I would retire. My husband was on board since he was more than ready for me to stop complaining about my job day in and day out.
The first 6 months of retirement were hard. After going to work every day for over 47 years, I felt very guilty not getting up and going to do my part to earn income for our family. I scoured the help wanted ads every day and applied for (and got) two jobs which I considered then decided to decline. I even applied for and was offered a job at my former Bank. Turned that one down too as I remembered all the reasons I opted out in the first place.
It is now a year later. I've trained to be a volunteer at Hospice and have enjoyed that very much, but since the assignments are few, I have actually spent more time at home and alone while my husband toils away each day.
I take care of him, prepare his lunches, grocery shop, cook, clean and make sure his work shirts fresh and crisply ironed. I spend a lot of time alone, online, reading, listening to the radio or watching TV. I take care of my small backyard and keep the plants alive inside the house. I am happy.
Sometimes, I still have the sense that I should be doing more but more often I am happy and content with my life. I enjoy my own company and I don't feel lonely at all. (sometimes I wonder if I should feel lonely?)
I've lost 20 lbs. in the last year and my husband and I have more quality time on weekends since we don't have to be running around doing errands and chores.
If you had asked me a year and a half ago, I never would have thought I'd be where I am today. I guess the moral of this story is - Give yourself time. How you feel today is not the way you're going to feel a year from now.
