Four years ago this month I began writing Satisfying Retirement. It has been one of the most rewarding periods of my life. I had no idea when I hit the publish button for the first time in June, 2010 what lay ahead.
I have been able to write about a subject I have come to know pretty well. I have been able to help others on this amazing journey. I have written two books, both of which continue to sell several copies a month. I have made friends who have enriched my life and will continue to do so.
Writing this blog has helped me strengthen my marriage and my faith. It has allowed me to scratch my writing itch in a way that has been both fun and satisfying. I have been privileged to be allowed into your home or office, on your laptop, tablet, or cell phone to share my thoughts and learn from yours. Regular readers have become a family that I deeply appreciate and respect.
My best estimate is I have written just shy of 500,000 words in these past four years, or a little less than contained in the novel War and Peace. Well over 1.2 million page views indicate someone is actually reading that output. I haven't counted but I imagine I have covered well over a hundred different subjects or approaches to those issues and concerns that all of us retirees, and soon to be retirees, face.
Betty and I leave early next month on an RV trip that is planned to last until mid September. We are excited to see all the fabulous sights down the road, and meet all the fascinating people with whom we will cross paths. We are also interested in our reaction to being gone from home for that long. Will we like extended RV trips? Or, are we better suited to several shorter trips that don't take us on a 4,500 mile journey? By the time we return we'll have an answer.
Because we want to focus on the journey and each other, I have decided to stop blogging for now, at least in terms of regular postings. Being on a fixed schedule, with the "requirement" to produce fresh posts every few days would detract from our ability to really get all the enjoyment and insight from this trip that we can. The post I ran two weeks ago about the Cycles of Life caused me to do some serious thinking about this blog at this season of my life, while the post of last week on the American Dream further stirred the pot. I guess I see this break as a type of needed mental sabbatical to reassess what I am doing and writing about.
What I am likely to do is write an occasional post, with Betty's pictures, after we have had a particularly memorable segment of the trip or learned something new that you might enjoy. I have no idea how often that will occur, but I would imagine a few times a month seems likely.
The blog will remain right here so all past posts will be available. If you have signed up for e-mail notification, when I have a new post you will be notified. Or, you can just click over every once in awhile to see if there is something you might enjoy.
Also, at this time I am ending the updating of the Satisfying Retirement Facebook Page and my involvement with Twitter. They have been used for promotion of this blog, but without regular updates they no longer serve a purpose. I do plan on staying involved with Google+ and my personal Facebook page for the time being, but on a more infrequent basis until our return. Pinterest interests me and may become a new outlet for our photos.
I invite you to come back a few times this summer to see where we've been and leave a comment or two. But, if you move on I fully understand. There are plenty of excellent retirement-oriented blogs that post frequently.
My return to blogging this fall is still an open question. I am feeling the need for some substantial changes in my life and I don't have any idea what that will look like. It may involve restarting this blog, tackling a completely different subject, or leaving the blogging world behind. I seriously have no idea.
But, what will never change is my appreciation for your support, love, and participation for the past four years. It has meant the world to me. Thank you. Have a great summer and enjoy the greatest time of your life: a satisfying retirement.
