“Retirement is a time to make the inner journey and come face to face with your flaws, failures, prejudices, and all the factors that generate thoughts of unhappiness. Retirement is not a time to sleep, but a time to awaken to the beauty of the world around you and the joy that comes when you cast out all the negative elements that cause confusion and turmoil in your mind and allow serenity to prevail. ”
— HOWARD SALZMAN
On the occasion of the end of my first week of retirement I am back in the place where I was 46 months ago, with few distractions from my parallel journeys of life and grief. I chose retirement, whereas I chose neither life nor grief. They chose me. I chose retirement not because it would be easy, but rather to make the inner journey that is all too easily avoided when we can’t (or won’t) take the time to grieve and live together. As with all journeys it isn’t about the destination. So if you ask me what is next I will tell you I don’t know, but I will let you know what I discover along the way.
