It is an unpredictable time in my life–I never know when it will hit me. Most of the time, I am just fine…working full-time and maintaining focus. Then BAM! My mood changes and I want to sit with a cup of coffee and a friend to ponder the larger questions. I have flashes of insight and inspiration that cause me to set up my sewing machine and create a fabric sculpture, or bend a new thought into a tangible form. I wake in the middle of the night to make a new plan for my coming workday that expedites the design work and carves out time for painting. It can be crazy-making, so I have recently applied my skills of self-diagnosis and come up with the obvious.

I am in periretirement.

Yes, sure, I invented it. It is this place in-between–I’m mature enough in this career to start planning for the next phase. My work is still great fun and I care about what I create every day, but I am not willing to sacrifice my quality of life for it anymore. No more 60-hr work weeks, hours of staring through a windshield and too much time away from my family. That is a younger gal’s game. I have done that time, and I am ready to re-adjust my percentages. Now that I live & work in the same community and I am around my family enough to drive them crazy, I have the time & space to make art. There are so many ideas in my brain and I want to dig into them while I am still energetic enough focus on new challenges, possibilities and collaborations. Who says I have to wait until I am older to make this transition? I’d like to be intentional about what is next and be able & willing to enjoy it.

Maybe you are feeling the same way. Stop in for a cup o’ something next time you cruise by…we’ll ponder a larger question or two.