When I first approached retirement, I was reluctant - even afraid. After 44 years in a fulfilling corporate career, the idea of suddenly stopping felt disorienting. I didn't want to be housebound, idle, or invisible.

But slowly, something shifted. I joined a gym. I reconnected with what made me curious. I learned to love slow mornings with coffee and sunshine. The more I leaned into this new chapter, the more I realized: I wasn't fading. I was becoming.