I will be honest, as much as I have loved and adored retirement, I have struggled with it. The blessings and gift of being able to spend more time and be with my family (mom, dad before he passed, kids, grandbabies and most of all husband) has been what I have dreamed of! However, I loved my job, my students, having a work family and feeling the purpose of changing lives and giving hope to teenagers and I do miss it tremendously. I miss the people and at times I have felt lost and in a way useless.
Now, being a mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and most of all wife fills my cup tremendously and I know how blessed I am. God has a plan and is working on me to focus more towards the people I have been given in my life now! I see this daily!
Recently, I felt off, not mentally, but physically. I went to see a doctor and less than a week later I was having a cardiac angioplasty repairing a 98% blockage in an artery to my heart. There were some complications, but it ended up ok and I will be fine! Throughout it all, I kept wondering how could this happen to me?
Now, I’m preparing to go to cardiac rehab and to take meds continuously. However, after experiencing it all, I look at life like this- as you approach a new life season, God will give you new challenges to face. So, during this challenge in my life, I’ll order cute decorative pill cases and be thankful and grateful for insurance. Life isn’t over. I’ll look for AND find the good! I’m not looking at it as a rejection- but a redirection! I’ll go right instead of left - hey, at least I am still on the road trip!
I will ALWAYS be an educator, but now in this new chapter, I have more time to spend with some very important people who didn’t get 100% of me for a bunch of years. Well, it’s their turn now! My grandkids will never remember me as a teacher, but you can bet I will try to teach them a life lesson or two - I still have props!! I can’t wait!
I am actually very thankful for feeling bad and going to get help. I was lucky!!! It has opened up my eyes- I’m discovering my new purpose! I thank God for all I’ve gotten to do so far in life….and even though my life is on a different road now, there’s no stopping me. It’s a REDIRECTION! I will keep my gas tank full and keep on driving despite any detours that arise!
This girl’s journey is FAR from being over!!!!
Keli's Korner- Has your life ever changed directions? How did you handle it? Are you ok with change? If not, how can you work on it when life throws you curve balls?