JusJoJan 22; Liberty

Liberty….. do I have liberty! I retired at the end of December when I received my first Old Age Pension cheque. It’s enough for me to live on and I’m still swooning with joy that I don’t have to go to work anymore! I’ve worked weekends most of my life but no more! Every day is my day off!

Years ago I thought it was a very sad thing that I didn’t have children; I wanted them very much. But I didn’t and because of that I have more liberty than most folks. Luckily my sister had children and they had children so I have a happy family….. but without the worries! (And the calls to babysit)

So what am I doing with all my liberty? So far, not much and that’s the whole point. I’m slowly cleaning and organizing neglected areas but as soon as I get sick of it, I break off and just leave it. In the afternoon I watch movies and work on my jigsaw puzzle. The sun is slowly rising above the line of cedars on my driveway, hitting my couch around 2:00 but not for long. As the weeks go by I’ll get more and more afternoon sun. No more feeling SAD because I’m going into work and missing a sunny day.

The other day it was warm enough to get out for walk on the trail. The snow had melted down somewhat and wasn’t too deep to walk in. I was kind of nervous to see all the large dog prints with no accompanying boot prints….. coyotes! There is a private logging road that runs alongside the trail and had fresh truck tracks so I just stuck to that. So nice to get out and walk in sunshine!

So for all of you still working, with children and no time to yourself…… hang in there and keep on keeping on. Keep adding on that CPP, put away 10% of your net income and don’t touch it and if the government offers pension plans, take them!

Of course, my freedom rests on my health. At this age, anything can happen. I’m playing the odds, walking the razor’s edge, taking one day at a time, one step at a time. Now my only priority is my own health and happiness: that’s quite liberating!

jjj-2018