Retirement Appreciation

In March of 2018, I sent the following paragraph of resignation to my then corporate management:

"I will terminate my employment on  September 10, 2018 to pursue a more rewarding lifestyle. The technical content of my job, for which I show an aptitude and enjoyment, has diminished; replaced by an increase in administrative duties for which I am unsuited and which are of little interest. The performance system does not reward my technical competency. There is time wasted in this job in circular arguments, writing unread reports, performing extra work due to under-functioning and poorly trained colleagues; and my time is more valuable to me than to spend it doing this. I only have one life and I want to do something more productive with it."

I began my journey into Phase 3 of my life. Financially, the project is successful. I have more money than ever. But what about emotionally? What about finding a more rewarding life style or being more productive with my life?

Existential questions for sure. 

Over all, my emotional condition is very much improved. 

Rewarding lifestyle. Any life not spent in front of a computer doing paperwork for a corporation is an improvement. I don't have a TV so I don't sit on the couch. I love the forests which I have around me. I love doing miles. I love being an athlete.

Productivity: I left my career with the idea of completing a book. I left Texas with a large portion of content hand written. I was successful over the past two years in completing the  technical content of the book, 171 pages of it. Recently, I got the creative idea on how to shape the book into a work of fiction which many people would enjoy reading. I see another two years working on re-shaping the original book. Ever since I got that fiction idea, new paragraphs have been pouring out of me and I am having fun writing.

Productivity: Just being. Loving yourself just because you exist, not because of what you have to show for it. That is me, most of the time. Simplicity and essentialism feel good to me. I love life with less distractions for the purpose of connecting with my soul. I have focused on "just being" as a goal for many years. I hoped for it from my monastic life. I clung to is after my monastic life. The corona shut down brought it to me. It continues.