A Good Day

Before Covid-19 created a new normal for everyone, I had often been asked what a day is like for me since I retired.

Well, if  not traveling, a good day was one that included a workout, and time for writing, reading and planning a future trip.

A bad day was when none of that happened, my computer malfunctioned, its operator had a meltdown, and the plumber/electrician/painter (or whoever was scheduled) failed to show.

Many days ended up to be between those extremes and included mundane house or yard work, shopping and cooking, appointments and errands, and a little time with local nonprofits. “Nothing to write home about,” as the saying goes.

So why do I write about it here?

There’s a man in Atlanta with whom I’ve recently renewed a friendship which began in the 1970’s. Like me, he’s recently retired, he from an interesting business career which caused him to live abroad for many years. But unlike anything I’ve experienced, he nearly died a few years ago. . . in fact, he was briefly dead.

My friend has completely recovered out of circumstances from which few people — less than 1% — recover fully.  So he’s asking himself: “For what purpose?” He believes there must be something he is supposed to do with the second chance he’s been given: and, based on his gene pool, he believes he has about a decade to get that done.

As I help my friend consider the possibilities for his next ten years, I’m apt to find myself thinking about how I should spend the next ten days, and the next ten, and the ten after that.  I’ve counseled my friend that the significant thing he may be called to do could benefit a single person. . .or a small group of people. . . and receive no notice from the public as contributing to a better world, country, state or city. All his contribution may do is make a quiet but profound difference in his local community or to a single neighbor.

The model for this thinking is the man who proceeded me as director of the statewide athletic organization I led for 32 years.  At my predecessor’s funeral in 2018, there was very little mention of his three-decade career in education, sports officiating and athletic administration. Almost all of the attention was to the three decades after his retirement and his many acts of kindness toward family, friends and neighbors who needed help which he provided without hesitation or celebration.

My Atlanta friend may be destined to do something really big and noteworthy.  But even as we search for what that could be, I might need to think more deeply about what a “good day ” means right now. . .or what it should mean in the wake of a pandemic that is reprioritizing just about everything.

JER