Beech Tree News Network

The word “retirement” has such a pleasant sound to it, don’t you think? I looked forward to it for more than three decades. Since my retirement, one of the first questions that people whom I haven’t seen in a while ask me is: “What are you doing now?” I always wonder how to respond. Are they asking me about employment or leisure activities?

According to Internet articles, retirement does not mean that a person has to stop working altogether. Working helps to keep the mind active and may prevent boredom and/or depression. Some retirees aren't suited to playing golf or reading; they need to stay busy. Working also helps pay the bills or add money to an existing retirement account. And, many seniors are on two ends of the working scale: they work to keep busy and they work to stay fed. If seniors maintain their expected lifestyles, being idle after retirement may not be an option for everyone (http://voices.yahoo.com/after-retirement-part-time-work-suited-retirees-...).

I have always been able to occupy my time. Even though I am retired, I have a self-imposed schedule each week, and leisure time is important, though not abundant. I asked several friends and family members: “When you have free time, what’s your favorite leisure activity or pastime?” Their responses (male and female, ages 4 through 60-something) are below:

•  When taking pictures, getting a good shot; golf; and watching TV
•  Reading romance novels
•  Motocross
•  Reading a good book, taking a nap, writing cards to people, playing games or cards, and riding 4-wheelers
•  Playing outside, swimming, and playing my guitar
•  Hunting
•  Facebook and cooking
•  Sleeping
•  Reading and watching a movie
•  Spending time with family, reading, sleeping, and being outdoors
•  Watching TV and movies
•  Spending time with my wife and kids, reading books, and jogging on a nice, warm spring or summer morning
•  Playing cards with family, reading, and napping
•  Riding (dirt bike)
•  Reading, swimming in the summer, playing with the dogs, and napping
•  Like the pool, playing in the yard, and riding the John Deere
•  Reading books, and studying in a large library
•  Riding anything with a motor
•  Being on the pontoon on the river
•  Going on a Jeep ride to the creek
•  Duck hunting
•  Trying out new foods and wines at restaurants I’ve never been to before
•  Knitting, and in the summer, yard work
•  Things that don’t create anxiety, like sitting in a rocking chair or watching TV
•  Cross stitching, quilting, reading, and cooking
•  Going to the gym, hunting, watching movies, and doing things with my hands
•  Making floral arrangements and wreaths, and spending time with my family

My late husband used to say, “Making a living gets in the way of a lot of good things.” Retirement is a time when we can choose how to use our time. And, as Jimmy Buffet said, “Fun is about as good a habit as there is.”