As many of you know, I retired from corporate life last year. My vision of retirement was to be footloose and fancy free, going to luncheons, working with charities, spending more time writing. Apparently my husband didn’t get the message with my “vision.” On Day 2 of retirement, he awakens me to say I have 15 minutes to get to the office (his/ours) – I’m the new repair coordinator for Efurd Properties.
I went through every stage of grief there was – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Having worked through every stage, here I am in month 10 of retirement realizing why I’m doing what I’m doing. I’m learning the importance of home.
I deal with hundreds of people trying to find a home – somewhere safe, a respite from the rest of the world. It doesn’t matter how much or how little money you have, the human need for habitat and security are the same all over the world.
Another lesson I’m learning is the importance of making peace with your past. We humans learn by example. If we observe chaos and conflict, we will exhibit chaos and conflict. It often seems like the world is intent to rip apart homes and families. A person must make the decision that our homes/families are worth fighting for.
There was a time in my life I viewed my home as a prison, then six months later my perspective changed when I viewed my home as a sanctuary. That struggle with how I viewed my home was from a spiritual battle I was experiencing. Are you fighting a battle trying to find your “home?”
After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14
Tagged: aging, grief and loss
