Working in the hospitality industry exposes one to various aspects of life. Corporate business people going to lunch together and discussing business over lunch, people with set habit of eating same thing year in, year out. Breakfast on poached eggs, and lunch on bacon and cheese toastie with brown sauce. Group of 5 teachers coming out to lunch every Friday and have done so for the last 10 years+.

Two men used to come out for breakfast at least once a week to a cafe in Dublin, and every time argue over who is going to pay. The younger man often winning. I once said to the two of them that I don’t mind taking both payments and the younger man laughed and said “that’s my dad”.  That, blew me away because of the mutual love and respect that I have witnessed between them.  Since then, I weekly looked forward to seeing them.

Another group of ladies in their 50s/60s come out to the Falcon in Fotheringhay weekly for lunch, to experience time out in a lovely beautiful and historical British restaurant. The booking sheet usually read “The ladies”. The women choosing to hang out and enjoy that season of their lives and friendship together. I call it beautiful.

To every season in life, there is anticipation and trepidation. A time to work and a time to play, a time to sow and a time to harvest. No one has the final call on life, but as long as there is breath in you and a time called day and night, every season should be filled with building happy memories.

I wholeheartedly look forward to retirement with joy and anticipation, knowing that not working but working, is filled with purposeful happy days ahead making a difference and hanging out with family and friends.

What do you look forward to?