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Oh boy, can I ever relate to this.I was a nurse and had to go out to work in all kinds of awful conditions, leaving family to go to work on holidays and birthdays. I am so glad that is all behind me now.
I have retired to the west coast to be near family. For fun and joy I volunteer six to eight hours a week at the botanical gardens. Today I had a picnic under the trees with a couple of the other volunteers when we were finished working in the garden.
I sing in the church choir. In June I went to a music colloquium and spent a week singing beautiful chant and polyphony. I go to the symphony, take an exercise class, take walks along the cliffs of the ocean, have the kids and grandkids over for dinner and cook a nice meal. For intellectual stimulation I read books about the saints and about characters from British history, such as King Henry VIII, Ann Boylen, Queen Elizabeth I. Right now life is good, I know it might not always be this way so I am enjoying it to the fullest.
What a wonderful portrait of the genuine good life in retirement. Thank you.
Perth, Capital and largest city in Western Australia.
I'm not quite sure what you meant by this but if you mean it's a wonderful place to go, I agree.
Because it is an additional plane trip for Americans, I think it is overlooked by the majority of visitors to Au and that's a shame.
Right now life is good, I know it might not always be this way so I am enjoying it to the fullest.
Great post. I definitely agree with the above. And you touched on another thought for why I appreciate the habit of finding things to enjoy--life has its rough patches, that's for sure. I think that when you get into this habit, you start to see that life is sort of like a tv. If you find yourself getting depressed by something, most times you can find ways to "change the channel." At least for a little while, which is usually all I need to remember that life is pretty good, warts and all.
So you volunteer for the botanic gardens in RPV? How cool is that, I love that place! I lived in Manhattan Beach for 20+ years and regularly worked in PV. Let me tell you, I've spent a lot of time in that garden. It's such an oasis. Love the roses especially. I know that garden wouldn't exist without volunteers--sometimes people think retirees shouldn't volunteer because it takes work away from people who need jobs. But those gardens wouldn't exist at all if it wasn't for people like you. Your work, and the work of the other volunteers there, is so appreciated.
The other place I really loved in PV was the Palos Verdes Art Center. The volunteers there are a very jovial group, and there always seemed to be interesting events going on. Of course that was a few decades ago, but I'll bet it hasn't changed much. I still read the "Daily Breeze" all the time, and see that life on the hill seems to bounce along more or less the same as the years have gone by.
Thanks for posting, and I hope you become a regular in this forum.
Oh boy, can I ever relate to this.I was a nurse and had to go out to work in all kinds of awful conditions, leaving family to go to work on holidays and birthdays. I am so glad that is all behind me now.
I have retired to the west coast to be near family. For fun and joy I volunteer six to eight hours a week at the botanical gardens. Today I had a picnic under the trees with a couple of the other volunteers when we were finished working in the garden.
I sing in the church choir. In June I went to a music colloquium and spent a week singing beautiful chant and polyphony. I go to the symphony, take an exercise class, take walks along the cliffs of the ocean, have the kids and grandkids over for dinner and cook a nice meal. For intellectual stimulation I read books about the saints and about characters from British history, such as King Henry VIII, Ann Boylen, Queen Elizabeth I. Right now life is good, I know it might not always be this way so I am enjoying it to the fullest.
Sounds like you are enjoying yourself immensely. Same here. We are 61 and 64 and healthy and fit. We love to travel and do so often. We won't be this fit and healthy forever.
Maybe that's just me, but I rarely feel joy, if ever. Although, I have in the past.
And I suppose it is how one defines joy. But I still think actual joy is hard to come by.
And should actual joy be a goal in retirement? I think maybe not. A more reasonable goal might be contentment, satisfaction, enjoying certain things, intellectual stimulation, pursuing what interests one at one's own pace.
I cannot imagine "days full of joy" which Summering inquires about. Unless one were in a perpetual religious rapture of some sort (sort of just kidding) but I'm not religious so that will never happen.
I have experienced some joy being at the ocean and beaches. I should probably try to move to a beach area. I looked into it 3.5 years ago, but couldn't find a place I could afford and that was not subject to hurricanes.
And if truth be told, I think all retirees are killing time until they die, in a certain sense. I remember when my Dad retired, he said to me "Now I wait to die". He was only half-kidding. One can certainly have enjoyment along the way if lucky.
Matisse....I like your posting. Even though you express you think " joy is hard to come by." You still mention your "joy, being at the ocean and beaches." Joy is a form of contentment, and living the moment. You've found some part of it, it seems.
Joy to me is doing things I love, being with those I love, and remembering to enjoy each day.
I try to take photographs of the things that amuse me. Certainly that includes the little fellows, the pets and my surroundings.
Catching the old rusted tobacco shack at the right time of day in a photo. Finding that old rusty fishing boat with nets well used, and barnacles on its sides. I enjoy having time to work with this pastime.
I'm not sure its called" killing time before I die" or the "joy of time, before I die."
LOL, Matisse gave me a good chuckle. I'm like her, for some reason I hear the word "joy" and I think of experiencing something dramatic. Some sort of never ending, almost orgasmic thrill. At which point I would say "Hmmmm.... tempting thought..... but would I want to strive for a lifetime of that? Nah, too exhausting!"
Of course, if that's what "joy" means, imagine what it would be like to be "overjoyed".....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Summering
Joy is a form of contentment, and living the moment.
OK, putting aside all those tempting thoughts, I like your definition, Summering (and it's also the definition my online dictionary has). "Contentment, and living the moment" is something I'm striving for. Not that I always achieve it but it's something to strive for. Maybe joy is also a general sense of cheeriness, or maybe just a sense of amusement at the world. Can't stop the world but at least I can find some parts that are amusing.
Matisse....I like your posting. Even though you express you think " joy is hard to come by." You still mention your "joy, being at the ocean and beaches." Joy is a form of contentment, and living the moment. You've found some part of it, it seems.
Joy to me is doing things I love, being with those I love, and remembering to enjoy each day.
I try to take photographs of the things that amuse me. Certainly that includes the little fellows, the pets and my surroundings.
Catching the old rusted tobacco shack at the right time of day in a photo. Finding that old rusty fishing boat with nets well used, and barnacles on its sides. I enjoy having time to work with this pastime.
I'm not sure its called" killing time before I die" or the "joy of time, before I die."
I find that photography makes me look at the world in a different way, more mindful, as I look at things as possibly good things to capture on my camera. Makes me stop, look, and appreciate.
I find that photography makes me look at the world in a different way, more mindful, as I look at things as possibly good things to capture on my camera. Makes me stop, look, and appreciate.
Me too. By the way, a while back you posted photos of your garden. I've been meaning to tell you how inspirational they were. You and Mathjak were two who made me want to pick up my cheapo "point and shoot" and see what I might find to shoot. As long as we're talking about joy, that's something that's been a real joy in my retirement. Nice to have a joy that doesn't hurt my wallet, too.
Me too. Lots of retirees take it up for the same reason. By the way, a while back you posted photos of your garden. I've been meaning to tell you how inspirational they were. You and Mathjak were two who made me want to take up the hobby, and as long as we're talking about joy, that's something that's been a real joy in my retirement.
Thanks. I was surprised to find that I was most drawn to taking close ups of flowers. I'd never appreciated their beauty so much before.
When I finally bought a dslr camera I joined a 365 site in which you take a photo a day and post it. This makes you become more and more creative and trying to find new ways and new things to photograph.
I enjoy doing everything as much as I enjoy doing nothing. It's all good, no time restraints, the stress of trying to stuff it all into a 7-day vacation is gone. We're hoping to travel to California before the year is up, we'll spend 6 weeks in Florida this winter, hopefully a few nights in Manhattan, but a good book, a long walk, lunch with a friend, a night out at a favorite restaurant with my husband... all good. I especially covet my quiet alone-time. These are good reflective moments when the mind has nothing negative to wander towards, no health fears or problems; it won't always be this way.
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