live55

I am finding life to be quite unpredictable. I had not envisioned that I would be leaving my permanent job to take "early" retirement being too young for Social Security but being able to draw from my 401k and pension. It was a difficult decision to make but I have been caring for my aging parents for some time now and working at a full-time job which has lost its enjoyment has been putting too much stress on me. My mother, at age 76, has many health issues -- heart (mitral valve implant), lungs (COPD), kidney failure (recently put on dialysis), as well as IBS and other various gastrointestinal disorders. My father, age 82, has some health issues, but nothing major; he just likes to sit in his recliner all day and be taken care of rather than try to maintain some independence. I am hoping that I can still find some "gold" in the golden years of my own life. I believe working part-time will help me deal with my own stress as well as care for my parents; though the drastic drop in income will certainly be a challenge and bring about many adjustments. I have the heart of an artist and hope to one day start painting believing my artistic desire will return once I am settled in a part-time job. I love the arts - performing and non-performing. I love nature and animals in their natural settings. I am currently single, but have not given up that some day my prince will come.