Life: What Happens When You’re Making Other Plans (A Guest Post by my Mom)

This is a guest post from my Mom, a woman I respect and admire. In 2005, she retired from nearly 20 years of work with a major corporation. Her first position with that corporation was telemarketer–she worked the night shift and returned home to her other full-time job: mother, where she prepared four children for school each morning. She finished with the corporation as a Senior Vice President. Just a week ago, she decided to become an employee again, a wonderful reminder that there is a difference between “having a job” and “going to work.”

How many times have you heard the expression, “Find a job you love and you’ll never ‘work’ a day in your life?”

I’m sure it’s been a source of some decisions you’ve made related to course selections, career goals, job opportunities and–ultimately–landing that primo job.Well, sometimes that expression can apply even in your “senior” years.

I loved to draw, even as a child. My signature still survives on my old First Birthday cards that my Mother neatly arranged in my baby scrapbook. I scribbled on all of them and was very proud of my work. I pursued the artistic route in high school, but never went to college. I took an office job after graduation, fell in love and got married.

I got pretty good at making babies…. four of them to be exact. It’s still the most beloved job I’ve ever had. The domesticated goddess that I became continued to feel the “gnaw to draw”; it got put on the back burner as I took another position with a major corporation.

Climbing the corporate ladder, rung by rung, became my new mantra. Until that fatal day when I opened my e-mail only to see the words “volunteer retirement” What? I’m how old and I have how many years of service? I thought I was still scribbling.

Should I stay at my job and fight to keep the position, as new, more experienced candidates came up that same ladder? Should I stay at my job (the one that now I dreaded) or should I take that leap of faith? It was a no-brainer. I took the leap.

I had great plans to enjoy my life: go back to using the creative side of my brain. It’s been four years. Family illness, a wedding, and the birth of a new grandson have all filled the time. But wait, I’m still feeling that I’m not really retired–I’m just in the process of re-inventing myself. Who am I? What do I want? What is my purpose?

I’ve been meditating on this for years: rewind to childhood, art, and drawing. So, I decided to sign up for a class “The Joy of Drawing.” (It sounded appropriate) What a joy it has been. I’m there for three hours and sometimes I never even take a sip of water. I think I could do this and it wouldn’t feel like work.

So, remember that thing called “Life?” Well it happened. I’m walking around a store one day and I see a sign “Scrapbook Instructor Needed.” I like to be creative, my artistic juices are flowing right now, and I have some experience with scrapbooks–even if it is as a scribbler! I decided to apply for the position. But–it’s going to be on my terms this time.

I go to my job, do what I love, and it never feels like work. I’m excited to teach people to create what they see, not what they think they should create. Wow! Is that a life lesson or what? It could relate to everything: Do what you like, not what you think you should do.

My life has been a real circus lately. A little bit of a magic act–but I can relate to the trapeze artist. I’ve let go of the bar and I’m flying. I haven’t quite reached the other side, but sometimes in mid-air, in that stillness, you get to experience life’s greatest lessons:

Don’t be afraid to let go and follow your heart. Do what you love to do. It is never too late to create your own “Still Life.”
-The Flying Stuhlinski

What do you think? Is retirement an end or a beginning?

Share your thoughts and comments for my Mom below.