“Pick up your money, pack up your tent”

by chuckofish

Well, we’re down to the wire now. After nearly nineteen years, I am set to retire tomorrow from my flyover university. Today I’m taking my big ol’ iMac in to my old office, where I haven’t worked for a year and nearly a half. It is all kind of surreal. But I am happy and relieved. I prefer not to think of this as the end of something, but as the beginning of something.

I do not have a bucket list (except for going to Oklahoma City and Monument Valley) so I have no “plans” for my retirement beyond organizing my books. People always ask. I think what I am looking forward to is the “no plans” aspect.

I’ll finally finish my elephant which I began two years ago! Plus, I will have more time to devote to my blogposts, so expect to see some changes here.

Here’s a little John Greenleaf Whittier…

And present gratitude
Insures the future’s good,
And for the things I see
I trust the things to be;

That in the paths untrod,
And the long days of God,
My feet shall still be led,
My heart be comforted.

And a little Bob Dylan…

Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain’t goin’ nowhere

There are a lot of covers of this song, but I have to love this version from Josh and Carson…

Grace and peace be with you today.