It's Your Life. Live It!

There are those moments, flashes in time, that only come along once in a lifetime. The birth of a baby, when you are handed your diploma, the “I do” that seals your marriage (well … sometimes that one happens more than once in a lifetime), and the end of your last day of work are among those memories etched forever in our minds.

One thing they all have in common is the anticipation leading up to the culmination of a lot of effort, time and care. We work at achieving these auspicious milestones. We eagerly anticipate their arrival. There’s a bit of dread about how much of our lives will change, but excitement balances out the fear and, when the moment arrives, we celebrate!

After more than 40 years of work, following some 18 years of school (kindergarten through an MBA), Greg recently watched his countdown calendar tick away the final seconds of his last official day of work. 

In true dedicated fashion, he’d spent much of his last days finishing up a few projects he said he’d feel guilty about “dumping” on someone’s lap. I’ve seen his work ethic for nearly 20 of those 40 years so it came as no surprise that he felt obligated to accomplish those last few tasks. 

So … I sat with him for the last few ticks of the countdown and we popped a bottle of champagne. I’m not quite sure when it will really hit that this volume of his life is closing, and make no mistake, it’s WAY more than a chapter. We already have started making plans for adventures. We have parties planned. We no longer have to worry about vacation days to schedule visits to see friends and family. 

Our home office, where he’s worked for eight years and I have blogged, is getting a full makeover. We’re making more space for hobbies and games. We’re creating a cozy spot to snuggle up with a good book and just enjoy the story with no time constraints.

It is the end of an era, but in the words of a song by the band Semisonic, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Our new beginning brings us unbridled joy and hope. We plan to celebrate life with abandon.

©Judy and Greg Romano – All rights reserved.