The times, they are a changing! It’s a great Bob Dylan song, and I encourage you to see the recent movie about Dylan if you have not seen it yet. It is a well done, well acted, bio-film of the folksinger and the people in the musical and political world of the 1960’s and 70’s.
Yes, the times they are a changing again. In reality, the times never stay stagnant, or frozen, and going back to my middle school science I know that everything is vibrating. We live in a place of movement. From tiny atoms to the whole world flying through space.
While the earth rotates, and days change to nights, and on and on, I wish life could slow down a bit. At this stage in my life I think about it more and more. I have reminders of the past all the time, including the app “Timehop” which shows me the pictures I posted on this very day last year, and 2 years ago, 3 years ago, and so on – since I have been posting on social media. The pics – and videos – make me smile, especially of the grandchildren from a few years back.
I also have all the “Marla’s Musings” I have written in the past. This morning I took a bit of time to read some of them, to reflect, to think about some of the changes of life.
Here, today, I am especially thinking about it because hubby has officially retired (it’s the last day of March and it is his last day in a very long career.) So, I am writing about it in my musings. He has had an exceptional career and he has been blessed to have loved the companies and (almost – ha) all the people he has worked for and with all these years. He competently climbed the corporate ladder, and was well compensated for his hard work, and all the traveling, and his efforts that helped sell millions of soft drinks and ice cream.
He is blessed that today is a ‘mixed emotions’ day for him. He may not see it that way right now though. Why? Well, for many, many people who work for a living, they count the days until retirement. They work for years just ‘putting in the time’ and are doing it to only pay the bills. Hubby has never ever had that attitude, and because he hasn’t worked that way it has meant much more to him. He has become a specialist, a very educated expert in his business. He has run companies and he has been a consultant and a role model to many.
It makes retirement hard. Oh yes, he wants to leave the challenges (problems) behind, to pass it on to others, and he wants to not have to be tied to a clock and a calendar anymore. But, it is what he has always known. The man has truly worked since he was 16.
And, because of this lifetime of work, he has been a provider to many, and a joyful giver. He has paid for the needs of many family members and beyond. He has given to charities, for educations, for gifts unexpected.
He isn’t sure what he will do next. And, he doesn’t have to know today. It’s a lot of pressure to think about sometimes. We might travel some in the coming year but we don’t have the itch to see the world like some people do. We do want to spend time with our adult kids and grandchildren (without being annoying to them. Ha) Physical activity is important to him. He likes pickleball and golf. And motorcycles.
He is used to making decisions, and having an impact on people. So, I know he will continue to do that with whatever comes next. He just doesn’t know what that is.
Yep. The times a changing… and retirement is well earned and deserved. I have had a front row seat watching his career, and moving along with him, and going to special events, and enjoying trips, and giving me a life that is wonderful.
So all I can say on this day is: to be continued….
❤️ 😊
Marla’s Musings 