retirement – Running on Fumes

Sights and sounds of a road trip through Arkansas, then Tennessee, and the southern part of Kentucky.

I will say this was one of the most fun trips I’ve taken. However, the road trips which stand above them all were the ones to the Texas border cities. Yes, some might balk at the selfishness of my thoughts but I still can’t explain my gratefulness to strangers for sharing their lives and their reality with me, also a stranger, an outsider with a desire to write what they gave me.

We turned a 20+ year retirement event into a 5-day road trip, complete with food, coffee (tons of coffee), and shopping. Participating in a Naval retirement flag detail is a big deal. Quite the honor actually. So, when mini’s dad asked me to be the final part of the detail – delivering the U.S. flag to mini – I had some initial reservations because hello, wild card. But I quickly realized it was a big deal to him and, one day, it will be to her. Upon acceptance, I didn’t fully understand the logistics of said trip and all the little parts which make it a huge event. Not thinking, agreement. When the time came to pack, and travel, and take off from work – I was a little overwhelmed but also really excited to try new coffee shops. I mean, participate.

Without further ado (and in no particular order), some photos and related commentary.

Tacos 4 Life, Benton, Arkansas

I adore Tacos 4 Life. Bold, fun flavors, great ingredients, and a mission to donate a portion of every sale to others in need. A must try!

My hometown…tiny, no stop light, Avery, Texas

I took this photo intending to send it to a high school classmate, but then I forgot until I started writing here. Sorry, Jen. This convenience store has the best chimichangas in all the lands. Indeed.

Koffeewithakause (via IG), Bryant, AR

Incredible coffee from a local vendor. I drank me way through the states.

The Parthenon, Central Park area, Nashville, TN

Admittedly I’m not very interested in Roman, Greek, or any type of history, minus select, niche things. Trains. But an opportunity to view and explore the museum inside a gigantic Parthenon replica was a must do on my list. It did not disappoint.

Retirement cookies

And, finally, the retirement ceremony was everything mini’s dad had hoped it would be. It was a short yet emotional homage to his Naval career and I hope mini sees his time away as one which made her stronger and more resilient. The trip was a whirlwind but a necessary respite.

____________________

I ask you –

Of the four I mentioned, have you visited some/all/none?

What were your favorite things to do there?

Tell me how many retirement ceremonies you’ve attended. Countless.

(The post TX – AR – TN – KY first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Believe it or not, I am the type of person who does not do well with change. Which is comical because my work life constantly changes. It drains me. And it takes me, what feels like, days to process change. When I began my work with the Air Force in 2020, I would listen when others said they would retire in 20-whatever or in (insert number of) years. In those moments, it didn’t resonate.

Now? With the past 4 years fraught with retirements, it has become another point of change I must take time to process. Because these are no longer people whom I didn’t really know. They’re…friends. Beacons in my workplace. Coworkers with vast amounts of knowledge, who have shared their memories and children and stories. They truly are staples in the fabric of my office, my life, my world.

It is possible I’m waxing poetic about a topic you may not relate to or are not as invested in as I am. Fine. But I do believe we all have those people in our lives whom we have “grown up” with, so when they depart, then there’s an empty space they once filled. Even if it is a chair on the third floor in room 308, the person who fills the seat is still a person.

_________________

I ask you –

How do you cope with change?

Are you particularly close to your coworkers?

Tell me someone in your life who you feel you have “grown up” with.

(The post Staples in the Fabric of Life first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)