The Transition

As months passed, the circle of communication widened from inside my organization to friends and then to external “clients”. Many were surprised. All wished me well and not just a few wished they were at this fortunate point. No one asked why. Many could appreciate, I think, that the output/return quotient of the work-world is out of balance now with diminishing resources, more demands and lack of control… especially for those of us who have been at it for decades and even for those of us with meaningful work.

I started making lists of things to get done – jotting down ideas for places to go and things that might interest me and to explore – people to re-connect with – for "when I have time".  I started practicing doing whatever I wanted to on weekends. It felt good yet I wondered what the challenges of being able to do that (almost) every day would be. Would I finally learn to meditate or…drink in the daytime?  I suspect I will get bored and be inspired, be lazy and be active, travel far and wide and burrow in, watch a lot more movies and, I hope, live my own story.

As I moved closer to the end of work and start of whatever comes next, the feelings were similar to what I experienced getting divorced: relief and excitement and a sense of loss and disillusionment, which is dissipating as I move into “having time”…owning it and whatever goes in it.