As another year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the ups and downs of 2024. Truth be told, this year has been a challenging one. Setting aside the economic and social turmoil brought about by corrupt and incompetent leadership at the highest levels of government, the year also came with its share of personal trials.
Some of you may have noticed the absence of shooting-related posts. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to make it to the range or participate in an IDPA match since December of last year. Early in 2024, I began experiencing back and leg pain, which progressively worsened over the months, eventually limiting my ability to stand or walk for extended periods. A series of lumbar injections provided some relief—enough to allow for a bit of travel—but the pain has returned in recent weeks. I’m hopeful that an upcoming course of treatment will bring more lasting improvement. With luck, I’ll regain mobility by summer.
But it hasn’t all been bad. This year, I reached a major milestone: retirement. After 24 years with my last employer and 50 years of a working life, I officially retired in June. The past six months have been an exciting period of adjustment, planning, and embracing this new phase of life.
Initially, I reveled in the sheer joy of no longer having to deal with the daily stresses of work. But now, I’ve transitioned to a deeper appreciation of the freedom retirement brings—the ability to live life on my own terms (aside from the aforementioned health challenges). Thankfully, enjoying fine cigars and tasty beverages is an activity that doesn’t require standing, so I’ve been able to indulge in those pleasures with minimal discomfort.
Looking ahead to 2025, we have tentative plans for both domestic and international travel. I’m also eager to explore the numerous local breweries that have sprung up in our area—there are far more than I realized! This feels like the perfect opportunity to rediscover hobbies and adventures that had taken a backseat during the final, demanding years of my career.
One unexpected joy of this newfound freedom has been reconnecting with an old hobby: indoor gardening, particularly focusing on the fascinating Gesneriaceae family, or gesneriads. My interest in these plants goes back more than 40 years and blossomed into a full-blown obsession in the 1980s, when I built a greenhouse attached to our home. For many years, we even ran a small mail-order business selling gesneriads, Passiflora, and other unusual plants.
Eventually, the demands of career, family, and life led us to put gardening aside, though my passion for these plants never truly disappeared. As retirement approached, I dusted off an old light stand and began growing gesneriads once again. After a break of nearly two decades, the passion has returned in full force. It’s been deeply fulfilling to reconnect with this hobby, and I’ve been sharing occasional updates on this subject over at Gesneriad Trails.
One of the surprising lessons I’ve learned in retirement is that weekends are still weekends. Most events and festivals still take place on Saturdays and Sundays, but now, with chores taken care of during the week, weekends are free to be fully enjoyed. The biggest challenge is simply keeping track of what day it is!
Here’s to hoping 2025 brings improved health, exciting adventures, and continued discovery in this next chapter of life.
May your troubles be less,
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness come through your door.
-- An Irish Blessing
Congratulations on your retirement. I recognize a lot of what you are posting about here. The past three years have been a health challenge for me, involving two surgeries, and then a career one I've weathered as major changes occurred in my longtime company. That's caused me to have to seriously consider retirement earlier than I would have, and earlier than my agricultural background wife can imagine, although I haven't taken that path so far.
ReplyDeleteRetirement can be a blessing, especially when a company's environment or vision changes. I had certainly hoped for a less physically challenging change of life, but I am still praying that it will get better. Cheers!
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