The Shape of My Life

For whatever reason, I often see shapes in nature that remind me of things –flowers that look like butterflies, dead leaves that look like lizards, shrubbery that looks like an old woman with a parasol and, today on my walk, a little teddy bear face in a stump. It got me thinking.

People ask what shape a person is in, not meaning the dimensions of their body. Saying things are shaping up might refer to a project that’s going well. Someone getting their house ready to put on the market tells a real-estate agent that it’s in shipshape condition.

The shape of my life is changing. I am reinventing how I shall live in this world as I navigate both voluntary (retirement) and involuntary transitions. Does downsizing mean my life will be smaller? Will less income make my life narrower? It’s been said that the way one sees their life shapes their life. Therefore, I get to decide. My life won’t become smaller or narrower; it will simply be different.

The behaviors that have always steered me will continue to do so as I move in a different direction. Full of optimism, resolve, and a sense of adventure, I’m confident each day’s decisions will clarify what actions I need to take next. The shape of my life will unfold accordingly. With more free time I’ll be able to participate in daytime events and to take online classes offered during what used to be my working hours. Consequently, I’ll meet new people, expanding the horizon of friendships. I’ll learn new skills, broaden my perceptions, discover fresh possibilities.

Whatever circumstances I am in, I retain the essence of my personality –how I think, react, and project. I’ve had a curtain call on my work career, complete with recognition and celebration. The stage has been cleared; the props removed; the musicians have gone home. It’s been time to dim the lights, allowing a soft glow to remain. The theater isn’t closed; it’s under renovation.