The Answer to My Question: When Is It Time to Retire

Once I asked a friend when does one know when it is time to retire. He simply said, "You will know." Over the last few weeks, I have been struggling with the smoke in the air from the wildfires. The haziness in the normally bright clear South Florida sky was playing havoc on my health. Not to mention the firing over nonsense of a long and valued employee, the death of a long and valued employee who was not treated well by the new "sweeps and brooms," one of my dear friends decision to leave before the end of the retirement program, the low morale of many of my colleagues is so infectious. But, more importantly, I had decided that when I had "worn out my welcome" --as my mother would say, when I no longer felt appreciated, when I no longer jumped out the bed to get to work; then, it would be time to retire.

On Tuesday May 27th 2008 the time had arrived, That morning I did not want to jump out of the bed to go to work, but I got up anyways. As I was taking my morning shower, I asked "What am I to do with this heavy heart?" a wee, small, little voice from deep down inside yelled, "QUIT." At first, I was startled by the voice. I looked around to see who was in the bathroom with me because I live aone. I could not believe that the wee, small, little voice would say something so profound as "QUIT," but I felt like a million dollars because of the announcement. I started to sing and my heart felt so light that I thought I would do the Gene Kelly "Singing in the Rain" dance, but my shower isn’t that large, so like the lights in a musical, like the prelude to a song in an operetta I started to breathe; my chest filled up with air as though I had risen from the dead. There was no fear of redemption, no fear of looking for real estate under a bridge, no anxiety of any kind just pure sheer release, joy, and breath.

I called my son to tell him about my decision. He said, "Congratulations!! Mom you finally got there." "Now go do all that "stuff" you want to do and have FUN!" I called my financial advisor, he said, "Good, now you need a date" I said, "Today." He said, "When ever." Then, he told me who to call and what to say. I was really breathing now, and I didn’t even need to take a breathing treatment. What an affirmation that I heard the wee, small, little voice that yelled from so far deep down inside of me. The wee, small, little voice truly knows the essence of my well-being.

I opened my records and there in my planning I had already chosen the date five years ago, August 31, 2008. I was right on time. I made the calls and set up my exit interviews, and now I am waiting to sign the papers. "I AM SO EXCITED" by the Pointer Sisters keeps ringing in my ears.
I can’t begin to tell the world how happy I am. I thought this day would never come. And, to think I made this decision 5 years ago. Like my friend, I am not entirely financially ready, but I want to move on and do some of the things I want to do. We have seen so many of our friends who were not able to enjoy their retirement because of illness or death. I just want a little time to really enjoy my adult children, grandchildren, and my friends. I just want to BREATHE.

"I AM SO EXCITED" the song is going off in my head right now.