Where does time go?
It’s been a long, long time since I last posted to this blog. And it isn’t that I haven’t been involved in my usual (and unusual) conversations with folks about this time of life that is rapidly becoming a unique expression of living for so many. In fact, it is partly because I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been posting.
One thing that has been keeping me hopping is getting ready for a couples retirement retreat I am hosting in The Algarve, Portugal this autumn (http://www.ouicoach.com/wor_retire.html). It is very exciting for me to think about spending time in this great part of the world with a small but committed bunch of folks who haven’t given up on one another or their desire to learn and grow, despite their age.
I can only imagine the conversations that will unfold in the week that I’ll get to spend with 6 couples this November …letting go of long-held issues, discovering new ways of communicating with one another (as well as employees, business partners, clients, children), exploring new possibilities and potential for each as individuals as well as them as a couple …whatever it is going to take for the renewal they seek. Coming alive again, beginning to stretch into a future of new possibility and potential.
I think that is the thing about this retirement conversation that I find so exciting: watching people who had, in many respects, put their lives on hold for a long time begin to reclaim their lives so that they feel like they are once again in charge of them. I get goosebumps just thinking of how great the experience is going to be for me, as well as retreat participants. Because that is another thing that I’m noticing many of us are discovering as we move into our geezer/geezerette years …our unwillingness to any longer engage anything that doesn’t satisfy and gratify our personal needs anymore. We are much more comfortable in claiming our need for personal satisfaction first …having finally discovered that when we ensure that our needs are met it becomes easier for everyone around us to also get their needs met.
I keep wondering what the final group will look like, what sorts of interesting and dynamic folks will commit themselves to an intensive exploration of themselves and their future. I can hardly wait for the next few weeks to unfold and my new ‘playmates’ to surface. I know some things about these folks already: they have a sense of adventure, they are deeply committed to growth, they care about one another and keeping their relationship alive and vibrant as they age, they are not afraid to invest in their future, they have high expectations for their physical comfort as well as the types of conversations they expect and they love to have fun. …now who wouldn’t get excited about the prospect of spending a couple of weeks with folks like these! …and I’ll keep you posted with more personal descriptions of participants as registrations come in!!
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