Retirement 1.0
Travel more, organize the house and catch up with long-lost friends. These are often the first priorities after retirement. But what next? For me, retirement was an opportunity to find deeper meaning.
I worked at Berea College for 28 years, and throughout all that time, I kept a copy of The Great Commitments by my desk. The Commitments served as my guide in designing and conducting studies to strengthen the College’s mission. I then applied a model of student Engagement (readiness for college), Inclusion (group identity) and Achievement (outcomes) to assess student success.
As I prepared for retirement three years ago, I thought about how I might structure it when the time came. Did I even want that? I decided I did, and so I settled on a loose framework of service, wellness, personal development and creativity, which now serve as my new Commitments.
Retirement 2.0
This framework has helped me engage in a wide range of meaningful activities and still have ample free time. Service—I continue my work in canine search and rescue, have created native plant restoration gardens on city property (e.g., Berea Pollinator Gardens) and actively participate in the local pro-democracy group, WeShowUp. Wellness (social, physical, spiritual)—I joined a church and a book group and regularly enjoy pickleball, wallyball, contra dance, Bridge and karate. Personal Development and Creativity—I obtained certification as a Master Naturalist and completed several writing projects, including an illustrated children’s book featuring archaic and whimsical animal group names (e.g., a charm of foxes, a murder of crows).
I have been blessed with good health and a close family. My framework is helping me connect with friends, old and new, and engage in new activities. At 70, I look forward to exploring new paths along the way.
