I formally retired a few years ago. My wife Alex gave me a set of paints and brushes for that Christmas. The latent creativity suddenly fought off its shyness and found a life of its own. A couple of years later I wondered if I might learn how to write poetry and attended a local class on creative writing.

Both activities are lonely experiences. They come with inherent uncertainties until such time I choose to give them some daylight. I welcome those attributes, cherishing every single moment of creativity and expression. Most of the results will lie hidden in the dark, waiting for the dawn.