There are a few things going on which are starting to make me feel as if I’m starting to feel I’m back at work. This is not what retirement is meant to be about, or perhaps it is? The little YouTube clip of Yes Minister reminds me of my time in Probation so much and besides, it’s classic British comedy which I love. Do I have a dilemma looming, or perhaps needing to seek something else in addition to the things already in the melting pot?
A few different roles taking shape
Attentive readers may have clocked I’m exploring whether to join the board of a local charity, well to be fair, it is a case of us mutually exploring this possibility. Today I’m going to their board meeting and I see from the agenda things like minutes, approving policies, finances, risk registers and business plans. Sure I’ve had a nice little break, but these terms do sound rather familiar.
And then I have picked up a little voluntary role of liaising with other organisations and I’m off to have a day’s training on Monday. I did enjoy doing that kind of thing while I was working and indeed I recently went with a colleague to visit a statutory service. Although the person we met was new to me, turns out we already knew a handful of people in common with each other. I slotted into the language and many of the issues as if I’d never left. I even found myself feeling really pleased afterwards as the meeting had gone very well indeed.
I have also found myself accepting an invitation to join something rather interesting, more on that another time. I did get invited in my Probation work in response to contributing to a kind of prison developmental project. At that time I declined, saying I didn’t really have the time or energy to embark on anything else. It was then a case of my professional life spilling over into my private life, a step too far. So now I’m retired I have found myself heading down that road again. The attraction is “where could this lead……?”
I managed to miss the boat with magistrate training. The window was open just as I was retiring and I thought it too soon to start on that road. The other day I looked to see if another cohort is being taken in, not quite yet but “in a couple of months” according to a contact I have.
I keep trying to remind myself this is about using abilities I have been given and I don’t need to concern myself about my career anymore. And yet I do wonder if this is some kind of slippery slope….
A lovely antidote
And then yesterday was such a lovely antidote to all of this. I am a volunteer host at our church coffee house, The Way. This is a contemporary coffee house, with a slightly rustic, cosy feel and truly excellent coffee. My job is to help some folk feel welcome, clear the tables, run cups through the washing up process and so on. I loved it. I even got spotted by someone who I knew from years back who took me by surprise in saying “hello Doug” although I’m afraid I didn’t recognise her straight away. It was nice chatting for a few minutes and catch up on things. Loved it. No agendas, business plans. Simply helping out.
So that was a lot less like work and more about genuinely serving, something I always said I would do. Getting all this right is a fascinating process. I don’t intend to have any of this planned too much as that can lead to a lack of imagination and spontaneity. I see no need to rush either, but I don’t want to waste time, frittering it away either. Life is so fascinating and I absolutely love it!
Related: My first 3 months of retirement