Easy
I retired a few months ago, and though I have continued to work part time as a consultant, that work has dropped off as we completed a big project. So I recently had six days completely off, which in the past would have meant taking PTO. But this time, it just sort of happened. OK, the holiday had something to do with it. But still.
I’ve been reflecting on how much easier my life has become since I retired. It’s disorienting!
Compared with most human beings, my life has always been a cakewalk. To give you a little flavor: My parents were loving, were never abusive, and lived well into my adulthood. I have never gone hungry or faced homelessness. I have never personally experienced war or interpersonal violence. And so on.
And yet, I have never experienced life as easy. I lived a good portion of my life with depression. With depression, everything is hard. And even with that well managed, there was always work, dealing with people (a constant challenge for an introvert), trying to get stuff done. . .life has never felt easy. And it seems to me, looking out across the sweep of geography and history, life has been hard for most people, most of the time.
Until now. I sleep in as late as I want, have coffee, do a couple hours of work if applicable, meander out to the garden, go for a walk with my spouse. . .life feels easy, and I don’t know what to make of it.
So my questions for y’all: Can life be easy? Has it always seemed easy or hard for you? Has it changed? Is there something wrong with life being easy? If it’s easy, do we have an obligation to make it hard? I have an enquiring mind: I want to know.
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