I've decided what I want to be when I grow up. Arguably, I should have already made this decision. I am (stage-whisper) thirty-six years old now. Sometimes, however, momentous decisions require the catalysts of admiration and insight.
I am privileged to know a pharmacist who works a couple of days of month when he is not traveling with his wife, spending time with his grandchildren, or attending a myriad of community, church, and professional meetings or sporting events. Being a 72 year old practicing pharmacist means having a wealth of knowledge, experience, and crazy, cool stories. The best thing about him though is that he is engaged in life. He can look around with blissful contentment and bask in personal and professional success. I don't see him a lot though. After all, he works sporadically. He is retired.
That is it. I want to grow up and be retired.
With Mr. Lipstick a scant six weeks away from law school graduation, JBB in first grade and flag football, and Pretty Girl in preschool, we have simply been too busy to take delivery of our private yacht so that we can sail away from all shreds of reality and responsibility. Heh, heh...I want to retire.
There is one thing though that I've noticed about my friend's retirement. It took many years of hard work. To still care about your profession, to actually enjoy the time that you spend with your spouse, and to have meaningful relationships with your adult children are not accidents or products of luck.
Sigh...gulp. Deep breath. I have years of practicing and more practicing of my practice of pharmacy so that it doesn't grind me down, and that late night laundry and school projects, those two athletic events on the same day, and the making sure that Mr. Lipstick and I are able to talk about something other than the kids.
So since I'm not retiring from the businesses of pharmacy, mommy-ing, or being the wife of Mr. Lipstick, I am retiring from Lipstick-land.
Sort of.
Just like my retired friend who works a few days a month, I am still going to blog some. Here and there. That is, when my eyelids aren't too heavy after the kids' baths and I can decipher the little notes scrawled on scraps of paper and the back of receipts that I desperately intend to morph into a blog post.
You see, my desire exceeds my energy.
My ideas exceed my time.
On most days.
But not every day.
And those days...I will be in Lipstick-land.
Thank you dearly for reading.
Don't leave me.
It's not Bye...it's more like, see you later.
