Crossing the Great Divide

Seventeen months ago I decided to change my lifestyle by relocating to Florida. I love being active and outdoors, and it was getting harder for me to physically bounce back each spring after the forced dormancy of the longer northern winters. I moved to St. Petersburg, and every day I’m more convinced that I made the right decision. I love St. Pete; the friendly people, the sunshine-y climate, the activity, the buzz.

Silly me. I thought I would settle in and that my decision-making was over.

In May 2020, I celebrated my birthday via Zoom since everyone was in COVID-19 lockdown. After blowing out the candles on my online virtual cake it suddenly occurred to me that maybe it was time to retire.

Retire? Me? What a mind-blowing concept! I remember talking about retiring with my sisters years ago, but that was all some faraway day. Well, someday is here. I stared sleeplessly at the ceiling for more than a few nights considering this life-changing next idea. Retire? Really? I’ve worked corporate for forty years. What else would I do?

Being an efficient project manager, I got out a legal pad and started a list. The first item in the plus column was an eye-opening winner: 1) more time to write.

Up until now, I’ve been fitting my creative writing between the cracks of my day job by sprinting first thing in the morning before I punch the clock or by tackling great blocks of it on weekends. When I consider reorganizing my daily life now to focus on my writing, it’s like seeing a splendid Technicolor dawn on the horizon. I’ve worked the numbers and I can make it work. There’s no reason not to do it. I’m in awe now over the unlimited possibility. I’m so excited about this retirement idea that I’m not even afraid of it, although it does represent another Big Change.

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

So, buckle your seatbelts. Here I go! It feels surreal that I’ll wake up one day soon, sip my coffee, open my laptop and spend my day doing what I love the most: writing! I’ve come to another fork in my road - and I’m going to take it.

Wish me luck! What’s your retirement goal or story?