Retired?

The old joke goes, "I'm retired.  I'm tired today and I'll be tired again tomorrow."

The hope that most people have of retirement is more time to do the things that we enjoy doing, like recreation, travel, more time spent with family and friends, resting in a hammock, taking naps.

It's all an illusion.  That only happens to the ones born with silver spoons in their mouths, who have servants and six-figure retirement incomes.

The "lazy" stereotype is bunk too.  

I have spent the last two weeks trying to keep up with my husband, who's been retired since October 2009.

I'm tired!  The guy rarely has three hours at a stretch to himself, is driving this kid here and that kid there, doing errands in town, housework at home (yes, God has blessed me richly!), and miscellaneous tasks like looking after the maintenance of the house, shoveling snow, scraping windshields, scheduling appointments... in short, it sounds just like everything that a young stay-at-home mother does.  But he's not a young stay-at-home mother; he's a 58-year-old man with high blood pressure, arthritis in one knee and the foot on the same side, lumbar disc disease, and half the income he used to have.  He doesn't have money so we can go golfing together, which we love to do when we get the chance.  There's no money left over after the bills are paid to go on vacations to tropical climates. 

Yet he's happy (if a little harried) at the end of a day.  He might not think he accomplishes much in the run of a day but ... it's pretty difficult to match his activity level, which has easily tripled since he retired!  And truth be told, part of me is looking forward to getting back to work so I can get some rest from just trying to keep pace with him!

Here's a toast to you, my love; I raise my coffee mug to you.  I'm so very glad to have you back again: the real you!

I've watched you closely for nearly the last two years in your recovery from your addiction, and have seen you blossom into the honest, loving, sensitive, generous man I fell in love with all those years ago.  

I've seen you connect with our kids and give them a safe place to land, unselfishly giving of your time and your resources to give them the best possible foundation on which to build their lives.  They love you to bits, you know.

I've watched in joy as you have developed and maintained relationships, budding friendships with more people than you ever thought possible.  Life is full for both of us - and given the choice between the life of luxury most people hope for when they think of retirement, and just spending time with you...

I'd choose you any day.