Choose retirement. in Book Two

Choose retirement.

Choose downsizing.

Choose condo boards, reserve funds, and elevator blocked for move in move out. 

Choose your daily pills lined up like little soldiers about to storm the beach.

Choose doctor visits, cholesterol checks, and cataract surgery.

Choose gardening, but only if you can get out early enough to not be in the sun.

Choose mall walking in the winter because it’s too cold outside.

Choose to hang onto your iPhone 6 because it is good enough for your needs.

Choose cruises, bus tours, and buffets.

Choose talking about the weather, your aches and pains and the price of groceries.
Choose talking about the price of gasoline, although the only driving you do is to Costco.
Choose buying your pants at Costco.

Choose to say, “Let’s not talk about Trump anymore” and then find yourself talking about Trump again.
Choose pottery classes, hiking clubs, biking clubs, coffee clubs. There is a club for everything.
Pickleball. Smikleball.
Choose wool socks and light wool cardigans. Hokas. Dr Scholls.

Choose morning coffee, afternoon naps. Early to bed. Slow mornings.
Choose wondering if you locked the door, if you turned off the kettle.
Did I bring the cat in?
Choose falling asleep in the middle of afternoons and podcasts.

Choose old friends fading away, and neighbours you don’t like anymore.

Choose looking back at old photos, surprised you were ever that good looking.
Choose forgetting why you came into the room and what you were just doing before you did.
Choose watching the world speed by, and the idiots running the yellow lights like maybe you used to.

Choose drifting into invisibility. The world has moved on but you’re still here.
Choose nostalgia, but keep it to yourself.
Choose retirement…

Why would I want to do a thing like that?

There are no reasons.
You don’t really get to make that choice anyway.
And besides who needs reasons when you’re in Taiwan.