Folks who live on the other side of the retirement line often ask, “What do you do all day.” Like so many other retirees, I just laugh and use the cliche that I don’t know how I had time to work. I have to admit that I’ve never understood how that could be, but it’s ever so true. I get up in the morning, start “going”, and collapse into bed each night exhausted by the day’s events. As I woke this morning, I picked up my trusty iphone to check my calendar to see if there was something scheduled for today that I had forgotten about. It was at that moment that I began to realize what the issue is.
In my previous world as a classroom teacher, when I awoke on a week day, I knew exactly what I was going to be doing. I’d get dressed and drive to school. The next nine or so hours were completely scheduled in advance. Rarely would any of my “life” schedule be superimposed upon on it. A doctor’s appointment might occur during the day, but that was so rare that it was easy to remember it. After work events were just as predictable. Choir practice was on Wednesday night so it had a slot carved out. There might be a social event, but not many. Weekends were a little more unscheduled, but even they had a pattern. Football on Saturday during the season. An occasional party. Church on Sunday was another carved out spot. I had no trouble keeping track of what was going to happen. There was a very consistent pattern.
The world I live in today is chaotic in comparison. There’s still a spot carved out for Sunday church, but other than that there’s no pattern. Lunch dates, genealogy meetings, book club, country club dinners, concerts, women’s luncheon, master gardeners, visits by grandchildren, visits to grandchildren, antique festivals, community theatre productions, bluebonnet and lavender festivals, small group study, winery events, on-line course workshops, water aerobics, medical and dental visits, hair cuts, and the list goes on and on. My calendar is booked out easily six months in advance (more for some things). My children have figured this out and “book” their reservations for child care out that far to make sure they make the cut.
I swear I need an executive secretary to keep my calendar. You call and ask for a time slot. That person keeps track of all the events and requests. Then each morning that secretary meets with me while I’m having coffee to tell me what I’m doing to for the day. I don’t have to do anything but follow that day’s plan. Anyone who asks me to meet with them is told to check with my secretary.
The only problem with this fantasy (other than the obvious one) is that I continually mess up my own schedule by mentally planning things I want to do — but without checking to see if I’ve already committed myself to something months ago. So I get up all ready to repot plants or to build a website or to clean a bathroom. Then I realize that I’m supposed to be somewhere at 10 am. At that point I have to figure out what I can cram into the time before that and still allow enough time to dress and drive to the event. Notice the repetition of the word “time.” It’s a never ending battle that no secretary can help with.
So this morning I get up all prepared to do bathrooms, but I’ve been sucked into writing a blog entry bemoaning my time issues. Could be that’s part of the problem. I really don’t want to follow a schedule. I want to respond to the moment. For that, I fear, there is no solution.
Susan E L Lake 
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