Periodic Life Reassessment

I recently passed through another of Life’s major portals requiring reassessment.  Yes, I mean thoughts about life, death, and what goes on in between.  It seems to happen every twenty years for me.  Stage two, for me, occurred when I was 40, and survived a melanoma operation, switching paths to “smelling the roses”, and a generally healthier life, no longer obsessed with career path.  Stage 3 was my retirement from the work force, but path switching to nobler tasks in life: non-profits, volunteer work, church work, and becoming a community activist.  I developed new talents: writing, photography, thinking about others.

Stage 4 is a retirement from retirement: no longer the chair, just a member; no longer setting up chairs, just attending; no longer the doer, but still a voter.  I hope I am path switching to a lifestyle where I focus on me: convenience and pleasure; still noble; and maintaining most of my community connections.   For twenty years, my daughter has wanted me to buy a rocking chair.

Being a STEM person, at each stage so far, I have jumped into the new path with full energy, force, and intellect.  I read everything I can get my hands on; I attend every class I can afford given time & money constraints; I join groups to expand my understanding.  I always become a “Jack of all Trades, master of none”.  As I look at my next 20 Years, I realize that the major activity is going to be dealing with death: family, friends, and mine.

One of my Stage 4 path switches is to become more involved in the Russian River Senior Center.  I have started a Book Club there, which is sustainably moving into its’ Year 2.  I have also attended a memoirs class there, as well as several luncheons.  Tess Lorraine launched a “Death Café” this past spring at our senior center.  Her cafés are called, “Speaking of death..” A café venue where we talk in matters of living and dying well.  She moderates monthly sessions at Guerneville, as well as Sebastopol, Healdsburg, and Sonoma.

She is also launching next year, what she calls a workshop or seminar – but for me, it’s going to be my first formal Class in Planning One’s Death 401.  I may be one of the advance cadres for what might well be an aging army of Boomers.