Into Each Life, Some Work Must Fall

My little 'vacation-like' hiatus is over. I am back to work. I'm working with a vengeance (or that is the plan) so that I can take a few days off with My Youngest before school begins. I am working with a purpose.

As I immersed myself in my work-from-home venture and raced off to my casual-work-out-of-home job and back to work-from-home yesterday, I thought "I'm glad I savored the moments this past week". It is much more fun to gallivant the countryside and visit with friends and relatives, than it is to 'work'.

I remember the time before My Youngest was born. I was up to my neck in taking Financial Planning courses. I applied much of that knowledge to my own life. I was headed towards a financially secure life style. But I wasn't 'living' my life. There was very little fun mixed into those days.

Ballroom dancing was an illusive goal at that time. I didn't have the money in my budget to allow myself such an extravagance. My plan was to dance when I retired. My family would be grown and away from home and I'd need some diversions to get me through the quiet life I forecast in my financially secure future.

What I have done (quite accidentally) instead, is I've started building a life that doesn't revolve around my children before I retire (and at the rate I am going, I will never retire ... or at least that is my plan).

I have 'fun' interspersed into my life on an irregular (weeks like this past week) and a regular (my dance lessons) basis. I am living a balanced life.

I wouldn't appreciate the down times as much if I didn't have to work for a living. Work is a necessity in life. Whether you work for a pay cheque, work to keep your house and life running smoothly, work to take care of your family ... work in any form provides contrast to days of ease.

I'm so grateful that I decided to start dancing before I retired. I needed to start building a life outside of that of being a mom. I believe that this is the best retirement plan that I could have right now.

Since I rather enjoy the contrast between work and play, I suppose that it is fitting that I believe that I will be working throughout my retirement years. As much as I enjoyed the past week, I know that I appreciate it even more ... because I must return to work when the fun is over.