The Awakenment

Making space for new adventures

Click to enjoy a curated tune while you read:

Last Thursday was the last day of school. For the kids who went on summer break and for myself, who won’t be going back. “Oh, retirement?” people ask. It’s a valid question, but I’m preferring to call it my “awakenment”. I’m too young to retire and there are a lot of things I want to achieve, so I’m giving myself more head space to work on some passion projects. I’ve been planning this transition for months to ensure that I will have the structure in place to make the most of my time. The goal is for my endeavors to bring in some revenue so I can still contribute to the family funds.

This is the vibe.

What are those endeavors you ask? Well, I don’t want to give everything away, but there will be a bigger commitment to writing. Not just journalistic pieces as in the past, but more creative writing as well. For one, I hope to continue to grow this travel blog. The very one that you’re reading now that turned 3 years old this week! 🥳 With more time for travel there should be plenty more adventures on and off the bike. Yesterday, for example, Greg and I celebrated our 26th anniversary with paddleboarding and camping. Quite fitting seeing as how we met each other while inline skating — which led to scuba diving, skiing, kayaking, and much more! Outdoor adventures have always been a theme of our lives together. Now I won’t be holding us back with my weekday job.

Penny is not just a bike riding dog. She also enjoys the paddle sports.

Another new endeavor is a writing course that I will be hosting every other week this summer. It’s a life story writing group that focuses on remembering and elucidating defining moments in our lives. I took a course like this almost ten years ago and found it really valuable. Having pre-selected prompts to write about with a strict deadline was incredibly helpful. The stories are there just waiting to be remembered and released. Also, knowing I would be reading my pieces aloud to others was like having built-in quality control. I’m hopeful that the brave souls who have signed up for my course will feel the same successes. And if this goes well, I will continue to offer it in the future. I feel a little bit like a college professor finding source material for the course and planning the lessons. I’m hopeful that everyone will find it valuable.

After returning from a writing workshop in March, I have made it a goal to write more and submit my pieces for publication. Whether it’s contests or open requests for writing, I’m putting myself out there! Last week, on the day before my job ended I got an acceptance! One of my essays will be published in a book next fall. During my 30-year writing career, I’ve been published plenty - magazines, newspapers, product copy, ads, news scripts, you-name-it. But never in a book! So this is exciting. My ultimate goal is to write my own book(s). Eye on the prize! (Speaking of prizes, I have a couple contest submissions still out there, so fingers crossed.)

My bike and treadmill are calling, so I’m off to the next activity of my awakenment. It’s never to late to reinvent yourself! And if you truly are retired, then congratulations and, really, isn’t that also just the opportunity to find your true self and keep on learning?

Endnote: I was pleased to embed a Bob Dylan song above to symbolize the spirit of this post. I think of him often because one of his greatest albums was called “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”. He’s practically the blog’s spirit animal.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again