One of the hardest parts of being retired is that a person has to find a new identity.  I taught for 36 years, and I was a teacher.  When I was out and about, former students would come up to me and say hi and thank me for whoever influence I may have had in their lives.  Navigating through the post-retirement world has been a bit easier than I thought it would be, but it should come with an owner's manual.
My first mistake was getting too involved.  I have always worked since college graduation, and I had no idea how to manage free time.  Different organizations and groups began to ask me if I would volunteer and being the easy heart, I would agree.  Soon, I found myself being away from home more than I did when I was teaching.  The more I gave my time, more was asked of me.  Can you help?  Please help.  We need you to help.  Of course I was needed.  I felt good.
Add to that substitute teaching.  I was on the fence about substituting until a former student asked me to fill in for him.  The word quickly got around that I was subbing, and my dance card quickly filled up.  My calendar was booked with subbing and volunteer activities, and I was more tired than I was when I was in the classroom full time.
Time to hit the brakes.
I had three goals when I retired--to lose weight or at least to get into shape, compile my dad's World War II memors, and to clean out the attic.  Guess how many of those goals have been achieved.  You're right.
So the decision was made to prioritize.  What is most important to me?  Honestly, it is nice to get a litttle extra money for a vacation fund, and subbing two days a week brings in a few hundred dollars a month.  If I can do anything, I can teach.  Then, I thought about what the importance question.  I decided very quickly that it's God, dogs, and history (in addition to family, of course), so volunteeering is concentrated on church, the local animal shelter, and docent work for our county historical educational commission.  Life is bit more manageable now.
My Uranus lesson?   Do what makes you happy and fulfilled.  That's a wonderful feeling.

I have been to Uranus.

Before you say, "You are extremely delusional" or "What have you been smoking?"please let me explain.  

Texas public school teachers have to hit a magic number of years of experience plus age to be eligible for retirement.  The year I reached that number, I began to dream that I was on Uranus.  How did I know?  Because the signs at the airport in Uranus stated "Welcome to Uranus."  Through sleep, I learned that retired teachers have an option to move to Uranus and are, in fact, encouraged to do so.

This dream was a reoccurring one.  I began to know when my sleep was taking me to this cold, distant planet.  My daughters would take me to the DFW Airport and say goodbye, and then I would board Air Uranus or some other airline for my flight to that planet.  Soon, I would arrive at my new home.  It was very similar to earth except that the sunlight appeared a little less bright, sort of like looking through a filter.  This was my new home.

I tried to analyze these dreams, but I could find no answer or explanation.  Uranus?  the planet with the unfortunate name, the name that made students laugh.  Your anus? What about MY anus?  Those sort of comments.  Then I had a revelation.

First of all, making the decision to retire was not an easy one for me.  I wrestled with the decision for three years.  Teaching was all that I knew.  I had been in the classroom since I was 24 years old, and my entire life seemed to have been played out there--two children, divorce, passing of parents, graduations, marriages, grandchildren.  Yes, I was frightened to find out what was beyond that door.  When I hit the magic number, these dreams began.  The unknown was terrifying.
My principal advised me that if I weren't sure about retiring, then I shouldn't do it.  I would know when it was the right time.  Sage advice from a man in his early forties,, right?
Retirement is more than signing the forms.  It is preparing for the next chapter.  The journey isn't easy.
It is now almost three years later from when I started to write this.  I am a seasoned resident of Uranus now.

Photos from the Philippines--at Corregidor and at the Hell Ship Memorial

I've been on this journey for three years.  I have gone crazy with volunteering until I realized that I was exhausted and scaled back.  After that, I entered the world of substitute teaching.  I primarily subbed at my two former schools where I had taught and enjoyed being in different classrooms and seeing what various teachers do.  Last  year, I got trapped in a long term (eight month) position, taking over the classes of a teacher on medical leave.  I had never taught the subject before although it was a social studies subject, nor had I taught freshmen.  I was not a happy camper by the time spring rolled around
I have had several adventures the past three years on my Uranus journey.  I spent ten days in the Philippines, traveling my dad's World War II path.  I will finish that path next week when I go to Japan.  I have become very active in the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society, have met many new now close friends, and am a national officer.  I have spent more time with my granddaughters and have a beautiful backyard due to my inherited gardening skills from my dad.  If retirement truly is a time of new discoveries, I have done that.
Uranus is not such a bad place.  Yes, at first, it was sort of scary, and I was very hesitant to enter a new world of not teaching (although I have returned, kind of).  I like it.