Delaying Drowning by Treading Water and the Problem With Analogies

Last week I wrote about treading water and several of you made thought provoking comments.  June pointed out to me that I am probably "drifting happily," and Kate and Dan thought that I was not so much treading water as going with the flow.  Several others encouraged me to enjoy the ride of retirement because this freedom may be fleeting. 

Then I found an article on another website called Treading Water Only Delays Drowning.  It's a blog for "personal development for polymaths."  Being a polymath myself, I, of course, read the article.  (Okay, I lied. I had no idea what a polymath is.  I looked it up.  According to Wikipdia it is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.)

The article made some good points.  For example, if you spend much time treading water, eventually you will grow tired and cold and will lose the ability to swim to shore.  You will drown. 

As a teacher I always made use of analogies.  It helps students remember new information if you can tie it in their minds to something that they already understand.  The challenge is in finding the analogy that rings true.  The problem with using treading water as an analogy is that all of the interpretations are valid.  The analogy is too simplistic.  And maybe that's what I've learned from this discussion.

All of our decisions and actions need to be analyzed holistically.  Too often the flow chart of our life doesn't have a Yes/No response but an "It depends."

I do need to spend some time on long-term goals, but I am enjoying the float.  I am not floundering and the water is warm.  I can stand up at any time and walk to shore.  I'll be well-rested and ready to go if an opportunity presents itself.

Treading Water

I've been thinking about treading water all day.  Earlier I left a comment, in my arrogant, self-assured way, on another blogger's post asking her if she felt she was treading water.  When I read her post I felt strongly that, although she was writing about being dissatisfied with her life,  she was refusing to take any action to change anything.  Kinda like treading water.  Why is it that it is easy to see patterns of behavior in other people, but so darn hard to figure out your own?

So instead of working on the grant I'm supposed to be writing for a local school, here I am reflecting on treading water.  Retirement has been a little like floating down a gentle river.  I bob along, quite enjoying the ride, going wherever the river takes me.  I don't know where the current is taking me; I'm just treading water.  I have done nothing to guide my passage on the journey.

When I was working it was important to have goals.  I was always reaching for the next thing.  I was always taking a class or completing some certification and building my resume.  It was important to move forward. 

In retirement I haven't had external pressure to move forward.  Today I asked myself if, just perhaps, it was okay to not move forward but to just bob along and tread water.  Would I be happy with no goals, no direction?  Is it enough just to enjoy?  Is an occasional dynamite blog post or witty comment in the forum enough? Perhaps reading, writing, and building my extensive knowledge of television is enough?  Mixed in between vacations to tropical beaches, cruises and trips to see the grandchildren of course.   Or, maybe the bigger question is, can I enjoy retirement without a sense of accomplishment? 

Okay, I need one of you self-assured and arrogant readers out there to give me the obvious insight I can't see from my perspective.