It’s taking me a bit of time to get attuned to a life of
hedonism. This is some thing I never thought I would say as I’m someone usually up
for a good time. And I couldn’t wait to have a break from counselling work. I
was feeling burnt out. Some have called it compassion fatigue. But having
no work structure and having 24/7 available for fun, self- improvement,
hobbies, days out etc, has meant I feel kind of guilty if I’m not out there
enjoying myself in the sunshine. But I also feel guilty cos that’s all I’m
doing. You could blame it on a Catholic upbringing. My brother calls this kind
of life of time filling - ‘padding’- and I can see what he means. For the past month we’ve been padding
ourselves with a diet of culture, sightseeing, activities and events.
In our
first month we’ve devoured the University of the Third Age’s programme (U3A),
deciding that a lot of ‘classes’ were worth trying at least once. Classes are
informally lead by members with some sort of interest or knowledge in the
subject, although that seems to vary.
Sessions cost from 50p to £2 depending on whether the venue is in
someone’s home or in a community hall. Most of the classes are once a fortnight
or once a month. Either together or alone we’ve already been to Jazz
Appreciation, Country Dancing, Spanish, and Singing for Pleasure. Today I bowed
out of Church Bell Ringing when I learnt I had to climb a high metal ladder
leading into the tower as I can suffer from vertigo. Rhys loves heights so that wasn’t his problem.
In fact, he would have preferred to climb the bell rope than pull it. Pulling a rope for two hours while getting to
grips with the campanology code didn’t really tickle his ding-a-ling so he’s
decided to go for Bird Song Listening instead. Should be a lot quieter and
could potentially involve climbing. And
for me next week it’s Play Reading.
Arts
Events have included talks organised by the Richmond Arts Society and Library
Service. Rhys has been around art galleries in Cork Street and the R.A.
Together we’ve been to the Tate.
Rhys has joined Age UK Centre for Well-Being
which has a broad programme for elders. On the pretext of doing Pilates, he’ll be
attending Wednesdays, ‘Roast Dinners’ sessions. He hopes that is the eating of and not the
cooking of cos he does that at home anyway on Sundays.
I’ve joined a
Tennis Club. That’s another first. I’m having group lessons with a bunch of
younger women. In fact I’m probably the eldest by twenty plus years. When I
mentioned the U3A most looked blank. Then one young woman remembered her
‘Granny’ used to go. As I puff and heave myself around the court, ruby-slicked
face, missing their returns, being a Granny is only too self -evident.
So as
pleasurable as this life of padding is, it’s also totally self-indulgent; it’s
not work, has no extrinsic value and makes no contribution to society
whatsoever. One of the main reasons in
coming to London is to be an available Granny and I’m thrilled that’s working
out well for us and our family. But in
this period of adjustment to a life of (p)leisure, I never thought I’d also be
looking for a cause. I suppose you can take the granny out of causes but you
can’t take a cause out of a granny. Well this granny anyway. I’m sure there are thousands of worthwhile
causes out there that don’t involve counselling adults, I just have to find the right
one.
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