Viktor Frankl wrote an entire book on finding meaning in life, even when imprisoned in a concentration camp. I am beginning to realize he was extremely accurate in his final analysis--that our last freedom is the ability to choose our attitude in any situation, and that love for another or for something is what gives life meaning.
Being "retired" means you have much time to fill on your hands. It becomes easy to just go through the motions in your daily life--get up, exercise, clean up, read a little, answer your emails. And after a while, it kind of feels like "going through the motions". Perhaps this is why people enjoy grandchildren or pets at this stage--they are so full of life and love. Or why people get into a part time job or volunteering. We all need to feel needed or cared about.
It's ironic that many people who are working also feel they are simply going through the motions in life. The people they are with seem dull or uninteresting. The job seems too routine or tedious or demanding. That has certainly been true for me! There is something in us that calls us to greater expression--of creativity, of giving, of fulfillment, of exploration. Or is it simply we are in need of an attitude adjustment? Of finding that greater love and meaning in whomever we are with or whatever we are doing right now? Challenging to know whether there is more growth in staying put or moving on to something new....Ultimately, it is finding the path with the most meaning.
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