Despite having the benefit of a wonderful moving service, Suzy and I are still utterly exhausted but happily ensconced in our new home. The young men and women from the moving team were like a blur of efficiency, yet the final settling-in still feels like a marathon. Thank you all for your patience during my radio silence. Suzy and our daughter deserve special medals of honor for enduring my irritability, which seems to peak somewhere between packing my closet and trying to locate our cellphones. Now, we begin a new adventure, a grand scavenger hunt for our own belongings, still searching for essentials like my toothbrush and, more critically, my digital lifeline of passwords.
A lot about a move at this stage of life is purely mental. We’ve mastered the art of delegation, happily leaving the heavy lifting to the young and strong. The true challenge lies in the emotional journey. It’s the silent process of giving up items you never used but held deep sentimental value, each one a tiny farewell. It’s the moment you realize your books have multiplied like clothes hangers in the night, a sprawling, unexpected library. And it’s the beautiful, time-stopping discovery of an old picture that derails the entire operation while you travel down memory lane, reliving forgotten moments with a silent smile.
I think Suzy and the children have slightly different, more active plans for my future. But if everything works out, I truly believe I can enter a new phase of life dedicated to writing, walking, and spiritual renewal. I watch commercials that showcase retirement and downsizing as a whirlwind of activity—people traveling the globe, fly-fishing in picturesque streams, taking yoga classes, or playing pickleball with newfound friends. My own goal is much quieter: to create a bubble where chaos remains on the outside, a calm and peaceful world that is not affected by attempts to draw me into the turmoil.
I’d love to hear about your own experiences. Have you ever gone through a similar transition, either to a new place or a new phase of life? What are the unexpected treasures or challenges you’ve encountered? Let’s share our stories and find a little bit of calm together.
I retired about 5 years ago at age 73 – most of my retirement years so far have been taken up with golf, a little travel and grandsons. A little over a year ago my wife and I decided to “downsize” and move from the home we had lived in for almost 30 years. The process of moving was much as you have described. We finally rented one of those big trash bins you see around construction sites and filled it up to overflowing. We discovered things stored away that we hadn’t seen in years but had been hesitant to throw away. We’ve now moved but life keeps changing. We haven’t traveled much since Covid. Up until earlier this year I had been playing golf a couple times a week. However, most of the friends I played with have either died, moved away in their own retirement or just quit playing. The heat is also affecting me – the last time I tried to play in June, I had to quit after 13 due to heat exhaustion. I’ve finally sent in my resignation to the country club (Hardscrabble where I played with you once) where I have been a member as long as I can remember, so my golfing days are over. Now, at 78, I’m riding my bicycle a little, doing a little woodworking, learning new songs on my guitars, reading and watching the grandsons play tennis. It makes me feel old, which I am, but the fact is that things change and we have to change with them.