I wagged work for a few hours yesterday – and it was so much fun!
There was a good reason for this. I was reacquainting myself with a lost love. After being together for years I was guilty of taking it for granted. We still did things together, but there wasn’t the same sense of enjoyment or exhilaration. The sense of anticipation was gone, as was the rush of endorphins when we met.
It felt like our relationship had gone stale.
But all of that changed with the accident. We were forced apart for nearly two months to give your damaged body time to repair.
I was annoyed by this to start with. I was so used to you being there, ready to head off somewhere at short notice. The perfect partner. Time started to drag though. Life wasn’t as exciting without you, it wasn’t as much fun. I missed you.
But you came back to me today, dropped off at my office. And work was no longer so important. So I packed my bag, jumped on your back and headed out the door!
Your new (exhaust) pipes made you sound even better – louder and sportier. I found myself deliberately slowing down just so I could accelerate again and hear the throaty roar that resulted from it, grinning and cackling like the 6 year old boy that still lives inside me (not too far below the surface either).
We headed north out of Sydney to the Old Pacific Highway, riding the bends all the way to Mount White and then back again, stopping off at the Pie in the Sky for lunch, before coming back to the office.
I’d forgotten how cold it could get on the bike in winter (although the cold meant there were no bugs or flies around to catch in my teeth), but despite chattering teeth I loved it: the bike leant over as we went around corners and the roar as we accelerated out of them, the smell of the eucalypts, the sense of peace that comes from having nothing else to think about but the next bend in the road.
You may hate motorbikes (I know many doctors refer to riders as organ donors), but I’m sure you have something that gives you the same kick.
If you don’t, why not?
Find that thing.
Live a little.
Have fun.
We work with professionals, mainly doctors, aged 50+ who are starting to think about stopping work and enjoying a life outside of their career. Many aren’t ready to stop working yet but they can see their career is coming towards the end and their number one concern is ‘can I afford a life after work?’ If this sounds like you and you would like a Second Opinion on your current position and plans, contact us to arrange a discussion.
