For most of my life, my personal motto has been, “I had rather be busy than bored.”
Honestly, I don’t remember if I heard someone say it, or if I dreamed it up on my own. Either way, it fit me to a T. I have never enjoyed being idle for long. I really believe people are like automobiles; we are not meant to idle, but to be driven.
I have always had a fear of coming to a time when I have nothing to do. For most of my life, that has never been an issue. I have usually had more things to do than I had time to do them. Since I was about 13 years old, I have never been without a job except for the first summer after Jean and I married. In my younger years, I often had more than one job and went to school, too. Before I retired from full-time work, I worried that in retirement I might be bored. That’s one reason I have a woodshop.
What does a typical week look like for this retiree? First, let me state that you might not find my life to be terribly exciting, but I do usually have something to do and enjoy doing it.
Last week was a pretty typical one for me. On the first day of the week, Jean and I made the 35-minute drive to church. As I do every Sunday, I had the privilege of delivering the sermon. Well, that is because after I retired from a lifetime of full-time ministry, I accepted another pastorate. Sunday evening, we watched the Super Bowl, but not the halftime show.
Monday morning, we attended an orientation for an upcoming trip to Spain. That afternoon I painted a wall in our kitchen and watched the Olympics that evening.
Tuesday, I played pickleball and then read and studied.
Wednesday, we went grocery shopping and then I spent more time in the study. That evening, it was back to church to teach a Bible study. Thursday morning, I drove up to Dadeville to do a program for a senior adult group. There, I did some picking and grinning, singing, told tales, laughed, ate and then ate some more.
Thursday night we traveled to Phenix City to watch grandson Drew play soccer.
Friday, we went to the church to decorate for a banquet, then drove over to LaGrange, Georgia, to have lunch at The Lemon Tree Café. The café is housed in the old First Methodist Episcopal Church, which was constructed in 1893. The building is pretty and the food is delicious! That afternoon, we visited two antique stores in Cataula, Georgia.
Saturday morning, I played 11 games of pickleball in a mixer. I went to work in my booth at Angel’s Antiques that afternoon, then we went to a Valentine banquet at church that evening.
And that, my friend, is the not-much-idle-time week for this ole retired man. I did manage to make time to pray, read, write and eat in there, too. Unfortunately, I didn’t not have any time in the woodshop, but there is always this week.
I do hope you, too, have something to do and people to do things with. An older friend of mine said after he retired and had little to do, pickleball saved his life. Do get some rest when you need it, but don’t sit down and stay there until you can’t get up, please! For as long as you possibly can, keep moving, keep going, keep doing, keep serving, keep thinking, keep learning and, by all means, keep loving God and people!
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com.
