Every morning when I roll over in bed, waking at my own schedule, I feel a twinge of joy that I don’t have to hit the snooze button on the alarm anymore. I don’t have to get up at a specific time, select something to wear in a professional setting and get to work on time. Retirement brings me joy and I am unquestionably grateful for it.
I wasn’t planning on retiring this early. My plan was to keep working until I was sick of it. Don’t get me wrong, there were days I was already sick of it, but for the most part I still enjoyed going to work and accomplishing good things.
When we moved to Arizona, the plan was for both Greg and me to be virtual employees. His employer agreed and made it happen. Mine agreed initially, then reneged on that agreement. They assumed I wouldn’t really leave the job, but when moving day approached, I gave my notice. I intended on finding a new job in the west.
I applied for jobs, went to interviews and stayed hopeful for about a year. Then … COVID struck. Finding a job became impossible. Several former co-workers reached out and suggested I contact management about getting my job back now that everything was virtual. Greg and I discussed the options and decided I’d be better off accepting my new status. I was hesitant, but excited for the opportunity.
Two years later I have embraced retirement with elan. I started a new hobby fusing glass. I explore our neighborhood, our valley in the desert and our new state. I write every day.
It took a career of moving around the world to get here. I moved from job to job from the age of 19 to 58. Nearly 40 years of success and happiness landed me in a position to retire early and relax with joy and gratitude.
There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored. I’ve always said I work to pay for my trips; it was worth it.
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