After so long living in one place,
this move feels like a line in the sand of my life.
this move feels like a line in the sand of my life.
In the two weeks we have been here I have met a number of very nice neighbors. Some are at my exact stage of life. Some are younger and still working. Some, of course, are struggling with the normal aging process. But all together they are a very different mix of population than where I was. It is to be expected in a 55+ community.
It was never our goal to be in a 55+ community, but the accommodations we needed for my husband's disability were found here.
And, in fact, the pluses are many.
- The math isn't complicated. The condo costs us less to live. We lived comfortably before, but the cost of inflation can nibble away at retirement. We saw that disintegration with both mothers who initially retired with money to spare, but in the end struggled to keep ahead of expenses. Hopefully with this move will have pushed that possibility further into the future for us.
- Our living space isn't complicated either. Smaller, yes, but the use of space is so much more efficient that smaller seems just. The benefits of living "small" are many. Just a few examples: it takes less time to clean this place, increasing one's stuff is limited, I don't have far to walk to get what I want. After years of bigger and more, this change now makes me very happy. I don't regret giving up floor space or stuff. I am witness to the fact that actually moving all your belongings from one place to another puts a different perspective on stuff ownership. At times our stuff (including yarn) felt like a ball and chain around my neck. We will keep shrinking but at a slower rate. After all, someday I will probably move from here and this load will seem very heavy then too.
- Once totally settled, my focus must shift to me! For months the focus was "us" and "husband." The "me" focus was ignored. No time. Back to my knitting crafts, and exercising and maybe some volunteering
Yes, the line in the sand ...
I guess it is never too late to build another life.
1 comment:
I'm sending best wishes for the next years in your new sandcastle. I've been sorting out my loft recently and the amount of useless stuff up there was ridiculous. Why would someone put a broken suitcase into the loft when the outside bin is easier to get to? I'm also enjoying rehoming some of the more useful stuff. A local nursery jumped at the chance to take my old curtains. It's heart-warming to think that they are making a difference somewhere. My next task up there is to weed my daughter's old toys. That is made difficult by the fact that she doesn't want me to do it. But whenever I mention something she says she has forgotten about it. So I'm keeping the precious things and the nursery will benefit from the rest.
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