Retirement is commonly referred to as the golden age, but I truly believe it is a new kind of commencement. Life along the way continues to teach us lessons and retirement is no exception. Life is filled with pop quizzes. I feel that I am enrolled in the University of Reinvention. Our real homework is to be open in life and new possibilities, let go of judgment and savor both the little and the big moments that come along the way. All the while, we remember our blessings and stay grateful for each day and all it brings. Here’s what no one taught me in school and what I’ve learned.
A time to take up something new – What no one taught me in school
French is a beautiful language and I have started taking weekly French tutor lessons. They do not tell you that learning or rather re-learning a language later in life is equal parts thrilling and humbling. My first language was French, however, having moved to the United States when I was younger, it was important for me to focus only on learning and improving English. Consequently, I have lost the ability to speak it, albeit still understanding some of it.
I have a scheduled weekly conversational French class. My French tutor has such patience, all the while she manages to inspire me and teach brilliantly, she deserves sainthood! For example, when I am in the process of sharing a long tangled story that somehow uses past, present and future tenses all within a few sentences. She calmly unpacks the chaos explaining the delicate art of French tenses as if I had not just waged grammatical warfare on her ears. Having said that, I love taking lessons and I am seeing improvements. It just feels so good to be excited about learning something new. I can’t wait to be able to practice my new skills when going to France in the near future. The website I use is italki
Reconnecting with old friends and making new friends
Reconnecting with old friends feels like cracking open a time capsule, a mix of memories, a few surprises and so many laughs. Sometimes it happens by chance, like bumping into someone downtown, or through a big reunion that brings familiar faces back into your life. I’ve learned that reaching out is almost always worth it, even a simple hello can rekindle something beautiful. And the best part? Once you start catching up,it’s often as if no time has passed at all. There’s something deeply heartwarming about swapping stories, sharing journeys and realizing that across the years the best connections never really fade.
New friendships are just as much a gift, like picking up a brand new book you can’t wait to dive into. Sometimes they start in the most unexpected places, like chatting with someone after yoga class or recognizing a familiar face at the dog park. Building a new friendship is a gentle process, growing naturally at its own pace. A text, a phone call, a coffee date, whatever feels right, are all simple ways to water those first seeds. Just like tending a garden, nurturing a new connection takes small steady steps and a little bit of heart.
The Art of Saying “Why Not?!”
I used to say “should” a lot. I should clean, I should call, I should be doing something, etc.” Should” was a teacher in school. What no one taught me in school is now I’m learning the power of why not? Why not walk by the lake instead of cleaning? Why not take a spontaneous trip? It’s all about small steps and small wins, trying a new route, joining a class, sitting in silence. Sometimes the scariest thing is doing something just for the joy. There’s something rebellious and wonderful about doing things simply because they bring joy, no productivity required!
Final lesson: Life Doesn’t Give You a Syllabus
School gave us a path, raising a family gave us a path, working gave us a path. What no one taught me in school ? Retirement. Retirement gives us a blank canvas and the most exciting and slightly terrifying part is that we get to fill it in one stroke at a time.
I don’t have a diploma for this phase of life, but I DO HAVE stories, courage, laughter, adventures and a growing vocabulary of French words, I mostly pronounce correctly. Retirement is not the end of the story, it’s the beginning of the electives.
I’m learning to befriend the unknown. And most of all I’m learning that this chapter might be the best one yet!
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”
C.S. Lewis
Thanks for being here,
-Soraya
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