I had tried to retired in 2018, but rescinded it before its effective date. I worked 3 more years. I wavered between my desire to continue my life's work and my desire to begin a different life. This experience helped me decide. On October 3, 202 I retired from a 41 year career in nursing.
A Time to Every Purpose Under Heaven
Several weeks ago, I stood gazing over a stand of trees. I saw new saplings, mature oaks and aged cedars. They shared space, each having its own purpose. Each uniquely beautiful, they stretched their branches to the sun.
In the midst of the sea of green, I saw the grey skeleton of a dead tree, trunk leaning, bark stripped off, branches broken. At first, I saw a dead, useless tree.
But when I looked, really looked, I saw its beauty. I realized that time had not rendered it useless. Instead, it had been re-purposed into ‘differently useful.’
Three young saplings reached for the sky, their roots buried in the earth, rich from the decay that lay at the base of that ‘worthless’ tree. I watched as a woodpecker searched for a meal of grubs that lived there and laughed at a pair of squirrels who used it as part of their treetop playground.
And then, the ‘Ah-ha’ moment. Just as it is with that tree, it is with me.
My roots are buried in the fertile soil of past generations. I shared space with co-workers who became like family. I gleaned passion from those who have gone before me and shared it with those who continue after.
And because time slows for no one, I became a shadow of my younger self. I struggled to retain my former vigor. I wondered if I had accomplished my life’s purpose.
I searched for beauty in the new, old me. And through His Word, God whispered peace to my soul. “To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
I have transformed into differently useful. It is as it should be.