Sunday April 18, 2010...Organized?

I used to be so organized on the weekends.

I would have a list of things to do and I would get up Saturday morning ready to charge. Weekends were project days and you were worn out when you went back to work on Monday, but with a feeling of accomplishment.

Now that I'm retired and have plenty of time, the weekends mean less. There is always manana to finish projects. I try hard to keep my list of things to do short and sweet. I figure if I do one thing each day, but do it well, it has been a successful day. There is little pressure now and more time to waste on simple pleasures. I really enjoy writing, but have a hard time actually sitting down to start. Once I begin, the words flow, but it's so easy to procrastinate and spend the whole day just reading the paper or reading a book or catching a movie. It's a rough life, but somebody has to do it.

It took a few years of retirement to get to this relaxed state of mind. At first, I felt I had to multitask and do all the things I now had time to do. People when they first retire scurry about quite a bit, taking trips or working on home projects that they have always wanted to do but didn't have time for. Later, they settle into a more relaxed and peaceful style of living. The pressure lifts and you live life each day joyfully and relaxed. I smile and lot and laugh a lot more than I used to.

I wish I had enjoyed this attitude for more years of my life. I always pushed so hard to do as much as I possibly could as efficiently as I could without taking much time to smell the roses or look at the sky. Many years passed by with little notice. Now I have a better feeling for the natural order of life on this earth and enjoy the cycles of the seasons and pay more attention to the simple pleasures. Each day is a treasure with something new to discover and enjoy.

One of these days I will probably get more organized, but for now I'm just enjoying life – every golden moment.