My mom is officially retired. I say officially because she spent the past 30+ years teaching English (mostly to eighth graders in Griswold, Connecticut). It’s being a teacher that makes it hard to determine her “official” retirement date.

First she was officially retired at the end of last school year, but since she typically has the summer off from school that didn’t really count or feel any different. Then there was the official retirement when her former colleagues had to start meeting informally again for the school year. Then her former colleagues went back to work and then the students returned from summer vacation. That is the day my mom sat outside in the driveway in a lawn chair with a sign that said: “Just Retired.” I cannot think of another official date that may come up that will finalize her retirement more that the kids going back to school.

So now it is just time to enjoy. To my mom (and anyone else who has happened to retire recently). Do enjoy it. Life is short; you’ve worked hard and you deserve to do only what you want. So if for one year you’d like to do nothing. Do nothing with glee–just kick back and appreciate time for a little while.

Oh, and Happy Birthday, too, Mom!