2023

 

2023, can you believe it?  As someone who can't get her head around the fact that 1983 was actually 40 years ago, it's difficult!

Yesterday I was reviewing 2022. Not the greatest of years, but at least life started to move apace again, after what felt like two years of treading water and stagnation.

Today I am contemplating the 12 months that stretch ahead. There was a time when I used to make resolutions. I imagine like most people they went through a stage of encompassing losing weight and meeting up more. That certainly hasn't been the case in retirement where by 2017 they had become, shall we say, a little less tangible and orienting towards well-being and life-style principles. The following year, however, I opted instead to challenge myself by setting specific, measurable targets but in 2019 felt myself adopting an aura of retired contentment and living in the moment which didn't seem to necessitate any specific promises to myself or undertakings.

Perhaps I'm one of those strange people who actully needed the pandemic to shake them out of their complacency failing which I might have drifted slowly off to a life of simplicity and harmony until somewhat late in the day I realised that, however good I felt, life had passed my by. Deprived of the ability to socialise and travel in 2020 and 2021 and sharply aware from family circumstances just how quickly life can be cut short, I've received a clarion call.

Living in the moment is one thing, but it's important to remember that "living" is a verb; a doing word. Moreover, if I'm going to do anything, it normally requires some planning which isn't always easy when I do enjoy a spontaneous and flexible approach to my weeks. 

After decades of a work diary overflowing with appointments and deadlines, there is something almost joyful about turning my calendar to see empty dates staring at me. Indeed apart from next week's schedule of fitness classes, a Parish Council meeting, provisonal dates for our trips to the Lake District and a dental appointment in March, my days going forward look fairly empty. Don't get me wrong, I can derive pleasure from that. Indeed as my yoga instructor has pointed out we are human beings not human doings, but, downward dog or not, if my exploration of Planet Retirement is to continue then in 2023 I have to get into the driving seat once more.

Exploration need not of course mean travel, home or abroad. I recently had a conversation where I confessed that there are few places I have a burning desire to see when so much of the world has become so "samey" and am privileged to have already experienced a gamut of different cultures and scenery. Whilst I shall never tire of observing the magnificence of nature there are some scenes that can be so well portrayed on the television screen beamed into our homes daily that witnessing or even replicating them in real life can even be an anti-climax.

That said when you inhabit a small North Yorkshire village, looking out onto open farmland, there are times when to explore life to its full you just have to get away. Whilst Mister E and I derive inexplicable enjoyment from watching the wildlife around us, our city visitors are usually fairly non-plussed to hear us exclaim our delight at watching the antics of a flock of wild-geese grazing or the sheep playing follow-my-leader. Okay we recognise it, we do need other stimulation and with travel the journey rather than the destination can provide fulfilment.

The other thing that sends my spirit soaring is creativity. So often other things get in the way and a lack of regular practice can lead to frustration and disappointment, not to mention grandiose unfinished projects like the redecoration of our home when I find painting so therapeutic. I have reason enough to want to take up my knitting needles again and am spoilt for choice now as to which medium to use to tease out my artistic ability (or lack of it).  

Good health and fitness can wane with age but to experience retirement at its best we need to retain these. Exercise and socialising now go hand in hand for me and we try to eat sensibly especially since discovering that I have a gall stone lurking. Stupidity and carelessness more than anything gave rise to the need for some of our visits to the Urgent Treatment Centre last year and whilst there may be some merit in recognising the staff there, we do have to behave better (perhaps acting and acknowledging our age and limitations might help) going forward.

However, the greatest satisfaction in life has to be that derived from relationships, especially with friends and family. Moments together can energise and exhilarate. All being well our family will expand in 2023 and that's where my plans for the year will hopefully coalesce with scope for memorable occasions, the application of creative skills (hence the knitting) and travel in order to meet up.

So for me, 2023 will include travelling in the UK and abroad. Time and space must be provided for creative projects. Underlying everything is a need to stay fit and healthy but the priority will be family.