Today, for the first time in 35 years, I did not have to wakeup at 4:30am to workout. For the first time in 35 years, I did not have to use my manual toothbrush because, in my mind, I did not have 2 minutes to use my electric toothbrush. For the first time in 35 years I did not have to feel like I had to be downstairs by 5:35am, preparing a quick breakfast. For the first time in 35 years I did not start to feel anxious about leaving the house by 5:55am to get to work by 6:10am. For the first time in 35 years I did not have to turn on and set up a Promethean Board, write the daily schedule, make sure my learning targets were written on the board, put on some soothing jazz to calm me down; all before 7:30am when students are allowed to come to class.
For the first time in 35 years, I got to start a Monday in late August however I wanted to; I chose to go for a morning run. For the first time in many years I felt a sense of calm, peace, happiness, and contentment that can only come from retiring.