Most people say retirement is wonderful, the best thing I ever did in my life. I’m busier now than when I was working. Well, guess what? It isn’t so!
大多数人都说，退休生活好极了，是他们一生中做过的最棒的事情。退休了比工作时更忙。猜猜怎么着？其实并不然！
Granted my retirement didn’t begin as a clearly defined plan. Mine was more spontaneous. I left work on Friday and on the next Tuesday I started using my sick leave to the end of my work year. This was an opportunity to find out if retirement was what I wanted to do and also to exit a difficult situation gracefully.
我承认自己的退休生活并不是按着明确计划开始的，而是更随性而行。我周五离开工作岗位，接着的周二我就开始请病假，直至正式退休的日子到来。这段时间是个好机会，让我好好琢磨自己到底是否想退休，同时也能从一个困境中优雅地全身而退。
Initially there was euphoria of “WOW! This isn’t bad!” That lasted about two weeks. Then I decided, “Well, I should be doing something productive.” So, I cleaned house, sorted through drawers, gave away unwanted furniture, knickknacks and clothing. Another two weeks. Reality began to set in.
起初，一切都很愉快——“哇啊！这还不错呀！”但这只持续了大约两个星期。然后我决定：“嗯，我应该做一些有建设性的事情。”于是我开始打扫房屋，整理抽屉，丢掉不需要的家具、杂物和衣物。又这样过了两个星期。现实开始浮现。
Here I am, a middle-aged, single woman, in a 2,000-square foot house. My job is gone, my life is changing at the speed of light and the “retirement” plan hasn’t shown up. Everyone told me, articles described, I envisioned a planned retirement. Wait, I’m supposed to plan it? I think I missed that part or maybe it was just the financial part that was supposed to be planned…I’m not sure.
我是一个中年的单身女人，住在一间两千平方英尺大的屋子里。我的工作没了，生活正以光速改变着，而“退休”计划还没有踪影。每个人都对我说，文章里也曾经描述过，我会迎来一个有计划的退休生活。等等，我应该有所计划？我想我大概是忘了这一点，也许只是财政这方面需要好好计划而已……我也不太确定。
Alone, lonely, and no plan. This is awful! I hate it! By the third month, I was sinking into a depression that threatened my health and sanity. I began to cry buckets of tears as my friends and acquaintances told me how lucky I was. I wasn’t feeling lucky. I was feeling desperate. My sick leave was draining away so I started making the hard decisions.
孤单，寂寞，又没有计划。这太糟了！我讨厌这种状态！到了第三个月，我逐渐陷入抑郁，健康和精神状态面临严重挑战。当朋友和熟人说我多么幸运时，我总会大哭起来。我并不认为自己有多幸运。我感到绝望至极。我的病假快要休完了，于是我开始做出艰难的决定。
First, I filed retirement papers and made it official. In one case, I was retired in 15 minutes—thanks to my paperwork organizational skills. I hyperventilated for 30 minutes with shock. The other situation took 45 minutes; thank goodness, I had time to breathe. Second, I took stock of a guaranteed income for life finding I could at least pay bills and buy groceries.
首先，我提交了报告，正式申请退休。有一次，我只花了15分钟就真正退休了——多亏了我的文书组织能力。接下来的30分钟我因为震惊不已而不断喘着粗气。还有一次花了我45分钟；谢天谢地，我终于可以喘一口气了。接下来，我估量了自己固定的生活保障收入，发现我至少能支付各种账单和购买日用品。
By month four I knew that I was bored, didn’t have enough hobbies, and so far hated retirement. And I was even more alone, lonely, and isolated. I’d taken a few trips, some alone, others with family, even tried a “casual” relationship. Nothing was working so far.
到第四个月，我知道自己开始感到厌烦了，我没有足够的兴趣爱好，到当时为止依然讨厌退休。我觉得更加孤单、寂寞和离群索居。我外出旅行过几次，有时独身一人前往，有时跟家人一起去，甚至还尝试随便拍拍拖。然而，一切都没啥效果。
So, I sat down and listed the positives and negatives of my life and found I had far more positives than negatives. An old friend told me years ago during a time of decline in my life to “hitch up my girdle and stop feeling sorry for myself.” Good idea!
于是，我坐下来，列出生活中的积极面和消极面，发现积极面远超过消极面。多年前当我处于一次人生低潮期时，一位老朋友曾劝诫我“抬头挺胸，别再怨天尤人。”好主意！
I got a part-time job, one that uses my skills and allows me to travel. I’m visiting places I haven’t seen for many years and ones I’ve never been to before. I’m learning to turn the loneliest days of the week into busy ones of housekeeping and laundry; to shop in the middle of the week, and visit my not yet retired friends during their lunch hours. I’m also taking a deep look at what I want for the rest of my life and starting to branch out and discover new opportunities.
我找了一份兼职，既可以运用我的技能又能让我到处旅游。我现在可以去那些很多年来没能再去的地方，以及一些从未去过的地方。我学会将一星期中最孤独的几天转变成打扫和洗衣服的忙碌日子；每周中间的日子去购物，在午饭时间探望我那些还未退休的朋友。我更深远的去思索自己余下的人生最想要的是什么，也开始向外拓展，发掘新的机遇。
Nine months into retirement, I know I have to continue creating “the plan.” I’m getting to understand that I need a strong spiritual life to guide my thoughts and lead me. I know I need friendship and companionship to maintain my emotional and physical health and a means of helping my community. Retirement is getting better and ultimately I do believe that I will find it wonderful, the best thing I’ve ever done, and busy in a satisfying way.
退休九个月了，我知道我必须继续谱写我的“退休计划”。我逐渐明白到，我需要一种强大的精神生活来指导我的思想，带领我向前。我知道我需要友谊和陪伴来保持身心健康，也需要借助某种途径回报社区。退休生活渐渐好转起来，最终我确信，我会发现退休生活好极了，是我一生中做过的最棒的事情，忙并快乐着。