Seven years ago I increased my contribution to the teachers' retirement system and bought five years off my career in a move known as "taking early retirement." When summer vacation ends, I'll have 180 days left in the profession I chose when I was in first grade. Maybe because this is my last summer vacation that will end when school bells ring, maybe because retirement is finally close enough to count the days, maybe because I can hardly wait, I've begun to think more seriously about the question I've been asked so often: What are you going to do when you retire? Here's all I know: I want to write more, read more, take more pictures. Exercise more, travel more, and sleep more, or at least better. I want to live more. I want to slow down and absorb the life I've been rushing through, rushing because I had to, to get it all done. What I don't want to do is to plan my retirement. I have done enough planning in 36 years of teaching. I want to step...
Life is a series of snapshots meant to be recorded in words. A writer and photographer shares hers.