What are you going to do next? Most likely we’d agree, change is all around us. Perhaps it always has been. Whether in changing jobs, retiring, or making another life-altering move, answering the question “What’s Next?” follows. You may have been asked this question, or possibly asked another.
Columnist Marty Coffin Evans
Listening to the different answers becomes quite interesting. When I had lunch with a friend who’d retired from a career in the banking/financial/trust field, she talked about baking. For her, this involved more than following a recipe with required ingredients. She milled her own flour. Elizabeth gave detailed information about why she did that and specifics about the wheat berries she uses. To my great enjoyment that day, she brought a sample of her latest bread – yum!
In bumping into a friend with whom I’d served on the TRU Hospice board, I asked what he was doing. Having stepped back from his life as an attorney, he now takes voice lessons and sings in choirs. His return to an earlier interest and talent has become most rewarding.
Until recently I didn’t realize our retired clergy neighbors were spending their spring and fall time officiating at track and field meets. While these typically happened locally, they traveled on occasion out of state. Some meets were outdoors with others inside. All involved young students competing in their chosen events.
If we look around and ask others, we find many areas where volunteers give their time. Some enjoy delivering Meals on Wheels thus providing a nourishing meal along with a short conversation. Others may participate in reading or journaling activities with elementary aged students or those in retirement communities.
With change comes freedom and possibly the time to try something new. We have numerous opportunities to choose, explore or even return to an earlier interest. What’s your “next”?
Martha (Marty) Coffin Evans, Ed.D, is a freelance writers with MACE Associates, LLC. She can be reached at itsmemartee@aol.com.