a revelation about being retired. [View all]
I have been retired almost 10 years.
I never realized until now how much I had missed:
taking on a task, being nervous about accomplishing it, and mastering the task, and being good at it, and feeling proud, and having other people acknowledge me.
(I guess that happens in retirement, too, but for me, most of the tasks I take on are fairly tedious - like buy a new bra, lol - and usually affect only me. )
I recently volunteered with my local immigrant advocacy agency to teach a class in English as a Second Language (which is one of the tings I did as a worker). Then - I volunteered to coordinate tutors and match tutors to students.
Which turned out to be more complicated and more time-consuming than I had anticipated.
There were times I regretted taking it on, and felt stressed.
But last night I sent my updated report on the tutors to the directors, and even before I received their big thanks -- they are wonderful about acknowledging people --
I felt the glow of a job accomplished and done well.
I felt/feel proud of myself - in a way I haven't since I was a worker. I know my work is important, the students are recent immigrants, and if a student falls through the cracks they might not learn English.
For me, it's new knowledge about myself.
Anyone else experience this?
Something you've done in retirement that you feel proud of?
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