Back from Sabbatical

I’ve always liked the idea of taking a sabbatical.  But in my career, I rarely had that opportunity and if presented with this option, I would have been afraid to take it.  What if my replacement was better at my job than I was? What if my stand-in was more entertaining during the office luncheons?  What if he or she splurged more on gifts at Secretaries’ Day?  Too many “what ifs” to take such a risk.

It took retirement for me to gain the confidence I needed to feel comfortable with a sabbatical leave.  Some people may consider the idea of a “retirement sabbatical” to be an oxymoron.  Or one might imagine that a sabbatical from retirement would actually mean re-entering the workforce, i.e., getting a job.  Perish that thought immediately.

The dictionary defines sabbatical as “any extended period of leave from one’s customary work, especially for rest, or to acquire new skills or training.”

So my sabbatical involved taking a five-week leave from my customary work.  Those who haven’t retired yet may scoff at the idea of having “customary work” during retirement.  I challenge them to try this lifestyle out before making such a judgment.   The life of a retiree is anything but stress-free.  First of all, many daily decisions have to be made.  What time should I get the mail today?  Should I shower now or go to the gym first? Both? Or should I bother going to the gym at all?

And household tasks abound.  The fireplace needs to be swept out.  Something has to be done about that leaky faucet.  Brushes and combs need to be cleaned.  That spare key has to be made (for someone to check on my place while I’m on my next sabbatical).

Yes, all you currently employed people, retirees have their work cut out for them.  In my case, one may have noticed that I took quite an extended rest from blogging. Those who didn’t, in fact, notice, should not worry that I will harbor any ill feelings.  But to be on the safe side, don’t let me know who you are.

So spring is here, I’ve returned rested and recharged after my sabbatical and I’ll get back to blogging.  And it’s just a coincidence that I’m writing this on April 1st.  Honest.  Stay tuned.

Advertisement