At my age, my many accomplishments add up to the familiar milestones of a full life: owning and paying for a home, filling it with children, watching them become adults, and welcoming the laughter and excitement of grandchildren. These are wonderful achievements to check off the list. Other accomplishments have surprised both me and my family, who have benefited from hard work and simply following life’s rules. Along the way, spiritual guidance is always worth carrying in our saddlebags as we ride life’s trails.

My most surprising accomplishment is one we all face sooner or later. Between the ages of 60 and 70, I had to accept that my body was aging and commit to slowing that process. In my experience, work placed some of the greatest demands on my body. The daily grind accumulated over weeks, months, and years: early mornings, late nights, and the stress of paying bills, feeding the children, and still tending to my own needs. I was the classic working stiff.

At 68, I pulled the trigger on retirement. Better days lay ahead, but I also needed time to adjust to a new way of life. We bought an RV, and it took three years and two cross-country trips to California before it finally sank in: I had made it.

I had finally retired.