Five star days in retirement!

Like me, I’m pretty certain that many of those who support my writing are retired…or, at the very least, not far from retirement.

Retirement…retirement…retirement! What a big decision. In one sense, it seems like a no-brainer, especially if you have a pension like I do. Why not get paid to stay home? But I’ve known of folks who hesitate to retire because they don’t know how they’d occupy their time in retirement. I get it! And the further into retirement I get, the more I understand.

Of course, when I retired from the Shelton School System an unbelievable fourteen years ago, I still had Center Stage to occupy my time…and, believe me, occupy my time it did! But since retiring from the theater seven years ago, I’ve had to figure out how to spend my days. In my case, I have an inner energy stirring inside me that doesn’t like idle time. I always need to feel I’m accomplishing something…learning something…moving forward in some way. 

In 2019 when we packed it in at Center Stage, I was given the opportunity to teach a few sections of a course at Southern Connecticut State University. But then the dreaded Covid epidemic hit in 2020, and I really hated teaching the course on zoom.

But a blessing happened as a result of Covid as well. Fran urged me to do something I had always wanted to do – write! So I dug in and published my first book. Now six years later, I’m about to publish my fourth one. Not bad! But writing, for me, isn’t exactly a job. It’s a passion, and something I do on my own schedule…certainly not for eight hours a day.

In my old age, I have found great solace in reflecting on positive affirmations, one of which is, “I spend my time preciously, doing things I enjoy doing.” I have come to strive to live what I like to call five star days – meaning doing the five things that I enjoy doing every day. 

Now I’m not talking about special events like going fishing (I don’t) or to a museum (I do!) — but the routine of daily life.

But listen folks – I regret to say I don’t often have five star days. Sometimes four and sometimes only three. Other things get in the way. Breakfasts with friends and grocery shopping and Rotary Club meetings and, often, not enough fuel in my tank (and I don’t mean my Nissan Altima!). I don’t know how I worked full time at Shelton High School and ran Center Stage. I’m almost certain there were more hours in the day back then!

But here are my five activities that are precious to me and constitute a five star day.

*****

Spiritual practice (75 minutes)

It’s a long story, but over the course of my adult life, a series of inexplicable occurrences have drawn me toward Buddhism and meditation. (I may write a book on it!) I love to start my day on our sunporch which we have turned into a meditation/prayer room.

My deeply personal, spiritual practice includes yoga, meditation, listening to positive affirmations, and spiritual reading. If I were to rate one of my five activities as being most important, this would be it. Let’s just say it has become the key to my health and well being.

*****

Exercise (45 minutes)

I’m sorry to say that, until I retired from the theater seven years ago, I completely neglected the importance of exercise in my adult life. Between teaching and doing so much theater, I simply didn’t spend time taking care of my physical body. In my upcoming book, LESSONS FROM THE STAGE, I explain that Center Stage “swallowed us whole.” But even before Center Stage, we were like mice on a treadmill, starting in the early morning at our day jobs and spending most nights rehearsing plays. Where was there room for exercise?

But when I retired from everything, my grandson Michael (my pride and joy!) got me on track exercising…and for that I am grateful. So now, during the week, I like to alternate between working out on weight machines at Planet Fitness and taking forty-five minute walks (two miles). As a high school student, I used to be able to run two miles in ten minutes, but these knees no longer run! Anyway, the bad news is – exercising is the easiest activity to skip! I can always blame it on the weather or feeling lousy or not having the time to drive to Planet Fitness. 

*****

Writing (60 minutes or more)

I try to make writing, editing, and publishing part of my everyday routine. Retirement taught me that I am, first and foremost, a creator, and writing checks the creativity box for me. Being creative is non-negotiable for someone like me. Actually, I believe all of us have a penchant for creativity. For one of my close friends it’s vegetable gardening; for my neighbor, it’s maintaining a lovely yard. 

For some reason, writing comes easily to me, and it doesn’t feel like work. Probably because it isn’t! Spending energy in any aspect of writing or publishing qualifies, in my mind, in adding a star in this vitally important department. And of my five activities, I somehow find making time for this one the easiest.

*****

Piano practice (60 minutes or more)

Piano is another passion…and another way to express myself creatively. While I learned to play several instruments growing up, as a  college student I had the opportunity to take a few piano courses. After graduating, I took lessons for ten years. Eventually, I gave up because I had so little time to practice due to the rigor of family life, career, and theater.

I got back to it about seven or eight years ago after reading an article that said playing a musical instrument is good for senior citizens to ward off dementia. How well do I play? Well, let’s just say I won’t be playing at Carnegie Hall any time soon, but I sure love sitting at the piano. And how am I doing with dementia? Well…let’s see…uhm…what was the question?

*****

Reading (90 minutes)

I have been a reader my entire adult life, but since last summer I’ve ramped it up. That was when I met my new friend, Ira, about whom I wrote in my last blog entry “The Gary and Ira Book Club”! Ira recommended a series of books that I loved, which along with his passion for fiction, inspired me to spend more time reading each day. Reading has taken on a new and critical meaning in my life, as important as any other aspect.

For me and my new pal Ira, reading is a means of escaping this crazy world we live in, of entertaining ourselves in the process, and of educating ourselves further in our golden years. My goal of ninety minutes a day is ambitious, for sure, but I feel that reading great books inspires me as a writer and just makes me a better me in general. Every two weeks or so, Ira and I get on a phone call and compare notes on books. It’s a wonderful way of connecting with a like-minded friend.

So what’s the problem? you ask. When I don’t have the allotted time to spend on each activity, I’m likely to skip it. If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m a little OCD (a subject for another entry!) or at least an “all or nothing” kind of guy. The theater was a perfect outlet for someone like me. I need to get over that, though, and be more flexible…so that I have more five star days, even if they’re abbreviated ones.

How about you? How do you spend your time preciously? Tell me in the comments because I’d love to hear.

As for me, so far I have no stars today, but I have fifteen minutes to spare, so I think I’ll go take a walk!