Polar vortex, retirement, growing older

Recently-as of January 1, 2019-I retired. Almost everyone I meet asks me the same question: How do you like retirement? My answer has always been the same: "It is too early to tell." 

   I keep thinking, when I wake up in the morning, that I should be going to work. As each day unfolds, it occurs to me that on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time, I would be doing such-and-such. So, obviously, I haven't adjusted to "the retired life" yet. 

   Moreover, I'm still trying to discern what God is up to with regards to my calling as a now retired clergyperson. 

   In the meantime, I am realizing my age as we've been afflicted with polar vortex weather-this morning when I got up it was minus thirty-two celsius! The older I get, the less I like the cold. I don't mind moderate winter temperatures of minus ten or even minus fifteen celsius if there is no wind, as that is ideal weather for cross-country skiing. However this minus thirty or more makes my body complain.

   It reminds me of a Pete Seeger song, the chorus goes like this: How do I know my youth is all spent, my get up and go, has got up and went; But in spite of it all I'm able to grin and think of the places my get up has been!

   I like the last phrase of the chorus, since it awakens pleasant memories of the past, and makes one grateful to God for the life I've been given. 

   Hope you enjoy Pete Seeger's song!

Retired seniors?

For about a year prior to his retirement, a clergy colleague of mine was counting down the months, days and even hours until the BIG DAY of his official retirement. Every time I talked to him, retirement couldn't come soon enough. Fast forward to about a year after his retirement. Recently he accepted a call to serve a parish again! 

   Another clergy colleague who recently retired said he was going to enjoy time for travelling. Well, about three or four months later, what does he do? He accepts a call to serve a parish as their interim pastor. 

   All of this reminds me of a fantastic quote from Hazel McCallion, the 93-year-old recently retired mayor of Mississauga, Ontario that she made on CBC Radio's The Current: "I'm not saying all seniors should be running a city or running a business, but I am saying seniors are good for a lot more than simply running a bath, baking cookies or babysitting grandchildren." 

   Food for thought, yes? Maybe I'll put retirement on hold until I'm ninety-three! :-)))