The Day has Arrived.
I start leave now, and on May 30, retirement officially begins. I’m standing in the doorway between the life I’ve known and the one I’m building next.# Today Is My Last Day at WorkWell, today is the day.Today is my last day at work.Technically, I am on leave until May 30, and that is when retirement officially begins. But in my heart, something shifted today. I walked through the door knowing this part of my life is coming to a close.And let me tell you — that is a strange feeling.For years, work has shaped my schedule, my responsibilities, my routines, and honestly, a big part of my identity. You spend that many years showing up, solving problems, answering questions, making decisions, keeping things moving, and then one day you realize...The next chapter is not coming someday.It is here.I thought I might feel only excitement. And I do feel excited. But I also feel tender. A little emotional. A little stunned. A little like I should be doing something official, like ringing a bell or being handed a casserole.Instead, I am simply standing here in the in-between.Not quite working anymore.Not officially retired yet.Not in Spain yet.Not fully packed, planned, or prepared.But I am on my way.Over the next 12 months, I’ll be walking through a lot of change. Retirement. A new grandbaby. Moving back to Tennessee. Downsizing. Planning. Paperwork. Dreams. Doubts. Decisions. And eventually, God willing, Spain.This newsletter is where I’m going to tell the truth about that process.Not the glossy version. Not the “look how perfectly I have my life together” version. Because let’s be honest — if that version shows up, somebody better check on me.I want to share the real version.The joy.The nerves.The practical steps.The paperwork.The “what have I done?” moments.The small wins.The big dreams.The faith it takes to begin again later in life.Because I know I’m not the only woman over 60 standing at the edge of something new.Maybe your dream is Spain.Maybe it is travel.Maybe it is more time with family.Maybe it is simply waking up and finally asking, “What do I want this next chapter to look like?”That question matters.And I believe we are allowed to ask it.So today, I am marking the moment.My last day at work.My first step toward retirement.My 12-month countdown beginning for real.I don’t have every answer yet.But I do know this:I am not done.I am not invisible.I am not too old to dream.And I am Spain bound.If this sounds like your kind of second chapter, subscribe and come along with me.
