It’s been 50 days since I closed my office door in Ordway Hall for the last time, and I have some observations: One, the best of retirement is better than expected. Has to do with seeing dreams (creations) take shape in front of me. I’ve actually jumped up and down like a child, giddy with […]
In my first golf lesson in 50 years, I hit four beauties—they went straight, high and long and made Casey the golf pro smile (he was working wonders with this old man). The problem is I hit a total of 50 balls. Twelve of them (triple the number of beauties) dribbled a few feet off […]
I scored highest on Zimbardo’s future time perspective. According to him, futures are planners, keep to-do lists and balance their checkbooks (yep, that’s me). We exercise regularly and are more likely to get yearly medical checkups. Because we sacrifice present gratification for future reward, we succeed academically. Most importantly, futures are hopeful (that’s why we […]
Zimbardo and Boyd say you can look for happiness in the past or future, but you “experience happiness only in the present.” Their research shows that adults who live with a present time perspective are more playful and impulsive, are given to excitement and novelty and are spontaneous. They make friends easily and frequently, and […]
The way you view your past will affect your present and your future. So say Stanford psychologists Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd in “The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life.” According to the authors, people who are past-positive (who focus on the good things of the past) are more […]
Watching another colorful sunrise this morning and realizing that it, too, is a blessing of retirement—my classes were early and I arrived at school when it was still dark. Am thinking that the sunrise is a good metaphor for the newly retired. The journey is not ending but beginning, with all the promise and potential […]
Do you remember when Jesus turned water into wine? His mom put him up to it. They were at a wedding, the host had run out of the fruit of the vine, Mary asked Jesus’ help and he did the miracle. But he didn’t create just any old wine—the headwaiter complimented the groom for saving […]
It’s funny. I thought that leaving the classroom would mean leaving teaching and students. But nearly two months later, it seems I’ve done neither. Last night I got an email from a young lady wanting me to take a look at her poems. Earlier this week I visited with Chrystelle who is about to return […]
So I finally made it to a golf course—actually a driving range. Was son Jeremy’s idea. He thinks his dad would make a good golfing buddy. My son hit his irons well and reached impressive distances with his driver. My shots were—not so good. “I bet a lesson would help a lot.” My youngest has […]
“Your old men will dream dreams,” writes the prophet Joel. Of course, dreaming is not only for the old. Children dream—I dreamed of riding a horse across my own Texas ranch. Adolescents dream—of a cute girl or handsome guy. My college students dreamed—of the successful life that would come as a result of their academic […]