My shorthand for what I'm doing now is being selfish.
All of my iife - starting at least by age 11 - I've focused on serving others. I described my last job as the only job where at least once a week (and probalby closer to once a day) someone told me how much they appreciated what it was I was doing for them. Mostly, admistrative crap aside, I've loved every minute of it - driving into work on a Saturday morning (the day chosen by my students for a weekly study session) or driving home at 2 AM with a smile on my face. But the life I chose left little time for me.
I was forced into retirement in April 2022 (that administrative part of my job I didn't like was mad, and decided if his head was rolling, he was going to make others roll as well - fortunately, I was of retirement age so even though he succeeded in forcing me out - I left on my own terms). I had always said that when I retired I would do all of the things I never had time to do - and I am. So I've taken two dive trips (with two more on the books), taken 6 classes - part of my retirement package - and am now working on a BFA that will take me roughly 5 more years to complete, I've had roles in 3 musical theater productions, and am thoroughly enjoying my life.
At some point I'll probably start spending more of my time serving others - but for now I'm focusing on me.
(I haven't entirely dropped out of serving others - I've been keeping up on a few things that are important to me - poll watching on election days, making pies for a local homeless shelter for Thanksgiving dinner. But those things are secondary, rather than primary, in my life for the time being.)
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