STOP! DON'T STEP OVER THAT LINE!

Christmas has come and gone, for 2025. It was a great time with our little family! As it usually is. But, now it is time to shake ourselves and leave the old behind. At least the used up part of it. Memories last. As they should.

Today's post is a snap-shot of what it's been like since I spoke the word I didn't think I'd ever speak. "Retirement."I seriously thought I would have to be hauled away (while in the middle of doing someones hair), on an EMS gurney, stretcher, cot...whatever that thing is called they put dead bodies on. But, it didn't quite work out that way.

Now, some 7 months later...

I can feel myself waning; my strength not as it once was. I suppose that is natural, yet when I see women who never seem to tire, I want to know their secret. But if it's spending a couple of hours in a gym, I'm not interested. I know I won't bring myself that much discipline when it comes to lifting weights or running on a tread mill. To be fair, I don't see that many people these days. This retirement thing has stolen my "want to" and I fear I am becoming a bit lazy, a bit hermit-ty...occasionally.

Knowing this would happen at some point, I was hoping it wouldn't be this soon. My 79th birthday is about 6 months away, so maybe it's time. Something I have noticed, however, is that if I'm excited about something, my body, mind, and spirit seem to kick into a unified force that supports each other as the task(s) are tackled. They don't tire until the mission is accomplished. But...if disillusion creeps in on any front...well...I might as well stop whatever it is I'm doing because the rest of the day doesn't go so well. Then all I want to do is hide away with no interference, propped up on my bed watching anything on TV that will make me laugh. 

The questions come fast and furious, now: Am I turning into a cranky old woman? A snippy, out-of-touch individual? A spreader of dark clouds? Will my children's children want to come see me ever again? Or will it be a constant, "Do we HAVE to go see Grams?" And lastly, but certainly not least, complaining is getting so much easier to do. UGH!!! Nobody likes being around a complainer...not even me.

I knew taking an early retirement (yes, 78 years old is early for me) would prove to be possibly the biggest challenge I would face in my lifetime. And 7 months into it, I've found that to be very true. Adjusting has been interesting. Days ticking off with no makeup on my face (that's kinda nice, actually), hair never coifed (just brushed), and my poor brain allowed to become inactive...mostly, while sitting in front of a monitor screen. Oh, it's searched for information to pick apart. It's searched for why I should believe something to be true, or not true. And...it's learning new things about gardening. Or maybe it's just refreshing itself, much like when you tap that circling arrow at the top of this page, to do a refresh. But, mostly it searches for challenges within its grasp to overcome, a bit more quickly than adjusting to retirement has been. 

We'll get there. By hook or by crook. What does that even mean? Guess I could play along and do a deep dive...I do have the time. 😑 Maybe I should start the mundane action of putting away allllllll the Christmas decorations that took me a full week to get up. Beautiful as they may be, the main event they ushered in is now in our rear-view mirror and it won't return until next December.

Focus, Mary. Focus! Time for a New Year's Resolution. *wink *wink. But, where to start? We must know where we are, to get to where we want to be. So....

Here's what we know: 

1) Doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting different results, is the definition of insanity. Right? 

2) Not willing to change the circumstances causing the boredom, is accepting a defeated spirit. Not a pretty sight. 

3) If we continue on this path, it will destroy us, causing death of mind, body, and spirit. Not necessarily death, death. But certainly a decaying process must take place. If we don't use it...we lose it. Agreed?

Things I know I MUST do: 

1) Get back on track with taking my daily walks. Those ALWAYS refresh me. 

2) Begin my daily exercises...again. These really do help me twist (and sometimes shout), bringing my body into subjection as it limbers up. Rigor mortis is not the way to go. Believe me...

3) ALWAYS start my day with God...reading from the Word, studying the Word, sitting quietly, allowing the Word to penetrate my heart. Therein is guidance. I know this to be true. 

4) Fight the urge to do nothing. Yes, rest when needed. Just don't get in the habit of doing nothing all day long!

So....

My To Do List for the first half of 2026. For those who care, but mostly for me...

1) Begin the task of decluttering. I promised myself I would do this the moment I retired. Didn't happen. My plan is to go room by room, hopefully with little to no, distraction. One at a time. Focus will be needed, since I usually start in one room and find myself in another, moving things around to aid what I began.

2) DISCIPLINE! As long as my body allows, MOVE IT! Daily walks. Daily exercise. Daily meals (as healthy as possible). Oh man! This is going to take a lot of planning!

3) Meal planning for the week. Possibly the month. Having only two to cook for, this shouldn't be hard. But it always has been for me. 

4) Make solid decisions on what to do with left-over salon related items. That era has been completed. 

5) Always look for the good in things. Even when life throws the sour stuff my way. I know I'll fail at this on occasion, but I don't give up easily. Unless it has to do with that awful word "retirement".

I think 5 is enough. The number of grace. I'm gonna need it.

As you can see, God's still working on me, here...in Mary's World.

  

My Thanksgiving Wish

My faith in humanity was given a much-needed "shot in the arm" yesterday. Let me tell you about it...

But first, a little back-story. When I entered the age of retirement, it became easier for me to put things off as long as possible. Yesterday was no different. The "have-to's" are fewer and fewer, if you get my drift. It's been nice, actually. Mostly.

The morning had started slow (since I had been up most of the night), and my want to had gotten up and gone. Again. Because there is rarely a demand on my hours these days, bringing my body into subjection is not always an easy task. But, I had finally mustered up the strength (mental & physical) to make a trip to the grocery store, aka/Wal-Mart, after having put it off for several days. Full disclosure: It took me until early afternoon to walk out the door. 🤦‍♀️

The day was uncommonly warm, when compared to the previous weeks of much cooler temps. Indian Summer, I suppose. Still, I took a light sweater, just in case the weather took a turn. That part is common here in NC. It can be 70º one minute and 45º the next. Anndddd...that may be a bit of an exaggeration, still...

It was good to be out and about. That part, I do miss occasionally. Being outside your own home causes adrenaline to pump and the senses to come alive. There really is a world outside your tiny abode. And it's mostly good. That's what this post is about.

My faith in humanity has been waning because of, what seemed to me, a growing lack of care coming from the masses. Especially when visiting large market places. And, occasionally, just walking down a street. Rarely is eye contact made, let alone a smile. Even when one is given, hoping to receive the same. Maybe it's because of the multi-lingual, the melting pot of nationalities, in which my husband and I find ourselves to be, and the fact that few (in any given space) can really communicate with understanding. Unless, of course, you are a small business owner with specific clients who search you out. But that is not in my reach any longer. Soooo...I now depend on the smiles, the eye contacts, the kindnesses shown, even though we may not completely understand what is being said. Body language speaks, it communicates matters of the heart.

It all started with a "feeling-in-the-air" type of day. It was good to be out and about. A reprieve from the reprieve. 😁 Not to misunderstand, however. I always smile at those who make eye contact with me, and depending on where I am, I may even give a wave and speak encouragement to those I meet. Today was no different in that aspect, except for the possibility of that crazy feeling of excitement in the air, maybe I was a bit much for many I met. For example...

I found myself speaking to almost EVERYONE! What the heck? I didn't question whether they wanted to hear my voice or not. It was out for whomever wanted, or needed to hear it. Pretty sure I would have embarrassed any family member of mine, should they have been within ear-shot of me. Yep. I can be over-the-top, occasionally. There was blood flowing through my veins and enough oxygen coursing its way to my brain that life just could not, would not, be denied. It was a really good day. At least for me. I have no idea what those who came into my realm experienced. They probably needed to decompress when getting back to their collective homes.

There were many smiles that responded to mine. Many voices interacted with my own. But the lady I bumped with my buggy has been recorded and saved inside the walls of my brain. It was in the check-out line. A busy, busy day, at Wally World. I always use the self-checkout because I like the way I sack my own groceries. Patiently waiting my turn, I see a spot open up. These areas are much like finding a parking spot in the parking lot. Once you spot it, you'd better make your way there, quickly. I promise I did not see the lady being as close as she was. She must have taken a step backward before the crash. *wink *wink

Once my buggy made contact with her derrière, her face was immediately looking at mine, and once she saw who it was, said, "Oh! It's YOU!" 🤣🤣🤣  I had no idea who she was, but "I'm so sorry" poured out of me before the sound of her voice stopped. I asked if she was okay, thinking my check-out spot was probably being taken while apologies dripped from my lips. Happy meter slowed...

You can release your breath now. She was totally fine. I barely bumped her. She was startled. So was I. And she said so, assuring me she was just fine. However, as she and her husband left the self-checkout area, they swung past me (still checking my groceries), she leaned towards me and said, "Have a great Thanksgiving. Try not to run over anyone." 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Okay. That brought my happy meter back up.

Everyone I met, or ran into, seemed to be cheerful. I loved that!!! It's so rare to see. Usually everyone is minding their own business, without a thought to who else may be in their scope of living life. Or doing life. Eyes and head, usually down, either looking at their iPhone, or doing whatever.

Leaving the store, I noticed a bottle-neck of people at the exit door. Thinking someone must have been stopped, for whatever reason, I made my way there only to find a rather large obstruction at the door. Yes, that is a judgement. I do have eyes. A rather large lady was forcing her way, with a shopping cart as her weapon of choice, demanding she have entrance to the one door (out of 3...2 of which were double doors), that was filled with those leaving the store. Still being on my game, as I reached her, I smiled with kind intention (yes, I did), and pointed out to her she was trying to go in an exit door. She looked confused. I was just being a good neighbor. 😉😁 Even the doorman that checks to make sure you've paid for your goods, looked at me and shook his head. I think he sees this more than he wants to admit. The only question I have is, "Did you not notice that HUGE Exit sign, maybe can't read, or just don't care?" 🤷‍♀️

Making my way out onto the parking lot area, I'm still feeling the lightness in my step. The interaction with those in the store made me smile. So much cheerfulness coming from inside a crowded business. That's the way it should be. Atmosphere charged with well-wishes, smiles, happy thanksgivings spoken. And we actually understood what the other was saying. If only it could be that way, always...

I was almost to my car when a gentleman crossed paths with me. He said, "It's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better." What? Then I understood. Sooooo many shoppers in one space. And yet, he said it with a big smile and ended with, "Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!" "I wish the same for you," I returned. My buggy wasn't hard to push, at all, up the steep grade to where my car waited. I loved this outing! 

My Thanksgiving wish? 

It's for a world of people who love deeply. Hearts full of gratefulness. Faces beaming with light that comes from a simple smile. Hope for the hurting, and a heart that follows hard after God. The One who made all things possible. The life giver...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL WHO LOVE KINDNESS. And to those who don't...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World.