It has been almost a year now that we have been living in Spain, and more than a year since we retired from our careers. Retirement has brought new perspectives on our work. The emphasis on that work in our lives is thrown into sharp relief by the move away from it, but also by our new life and new friends in Spain.
I have allowed a good bit of time to elapse as I settled into my new life. As I reflected on my work life and the perspectives I had toward it in the United States, I felt that I needed to allow some time to create space so that I did not slip into similar spaces with my retirement. For this reason, it has been some six months since my last post. In future, I aspire to post more frequently to keep friends and family updated. Tiempo a tiempo, as my friend Vincent would say. We’ve decided it is best translated as time will tell.
As I stepped away from a long career, it was a strange move. As time has passed, I have experienced no regret, but I have noticed how my perspective has changed about how I spend my time, and what occupies the space in my mind and conversation. When I was working to build and sustain a career of almost 30 years, it was often the first topic of conversation with a new acquaintance. Of course, this makes some sense, especially for us as estadounidense (aka American). We prioritize our work and careers. The accumulation of some measure of wealth was a major component in my choices. I enjoyed some success and was quick to share the signs of that success with my friends and acquaintances. I have found it fascinating how that prioritization does not translate to the culture of my new home.
Patrick and I have been very fortunate in our new friends. One of the interesting aspects of our time with this growing circle of friends is the lack of discussion about work or career. We have lively conversations. So lively at times that I’ve no idea what is being discussed #aprendiendoCastellano. In all those conversations, it is rare to the point of almost never happening that anyone discusses work. As far as I can determine, it is not considered a terrible taboo, but rather considered a tedious topic.
All this has resulted in some reflection on the emphasis we put on work and money making in the society of the USA, and, I expect, in other anglophone cultures. I wonder if perhaps we have over-indexed a bit and might benefit from a reduction in this emphasis.