I have been thinking about retirement a lot since the first of the year. In October of this year I will have been a nurse for forty years. The first fifteen as an LPN, then I went back to school to get my R.N.
That was a challenging time in life. I worked two days a week, took care of a home and three school age girls and went to a school sixty miles from my home. But it was worth it all. As and RN I have had opportunities in nursing I would not have had as an LPN.
I was hoping to stay working until October but when you consider I started soing diishes in a Nursing home kitchen when I was fifteen then worked as a nursing assistant for a year, I figure I have worked for well over my forty years. And I really don't want to work everyweekend all summer long again. This winter has been a rough one. The record for the most snowfall in February was broken this year. I want to enjoy the sunshine when it finally gets here.
As I make my pro and con list for retirement, I am also factoring in the fact that I drive 120 miles round trip and today gas is $3.38/ gal and going up. I remember whe i got it for 29 cents a gallon!
I have enjoyed having Dad and Mom around since they have retired. They finally have time to spend with their grandchildren and be "grandparents". Their oldest grandson is almost 39 years old. Their youngest granddaughter is almost 2. It has only been the last 5 years that they've "had time". I'm so thankful that my children receive the benefit of their retirement, although Dad and Mom have always done their best to spend as much time as they could with their family. If it's possible, I encourage it. You're still young enough to really enjoy being an active part of your precious grandchildren's lives... Your daughters will also benefit from it (they will love spending extra time with you, too!)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Kisha