Since I have retired, I have had one relatively major health incident. I experienced atrial flutter and had to have a heart cauterization and ablation. The procedure was performed two weeks to the day that the flutter began and I have had no further complications from that procedure. Other than that, I did have a minor Achilles tendon injury that took a few weeks of physical therapy and have had a couple of colds. In general I have been blessed with very good health. We retired during the Covid-19 lock downs. We have taken a few trips by car and we’ve taken two trips by airline since Covid was a factor. So far we’ve avoided Covid. We have been inoculated with vaccines each time it is recommended and we have been careful to wear face masks when we are in close proximity with others. However, we have plenty of friends who have also kept up with their vaccines and have been careful and nonetheless have caught Covid, so I know that part of what has occurred for us is a simple matter of statistics. We’ve been lucky.

I have generally enjoyed good health and have benefitted from several different vaccines. The annual flu shots have helped me avoid serious bouts of that disease and generally when I get a cold, I am not laid up very much. Still, I think that I have not had as many colds since I retired. Although I did work half time for two years since retiring, my work life has not been as stressful as working full time as the senior pastor of a congregation. I think I’ve done a good job of managing stress in my life, and I have avoided some of the stressors that have been challenges for others. Again, I’ve been lucky.

Having children in school certainly means that a family comes into contact with more germs and viruses. Our children’s families have experienced more colds than we have. Several members of our son’s family have had strep throat in the past week and one of his children had scarlet fever. Modern antibiotics are a blessing, especially to those who don’t need to take them very often and the family is on the mend. Everyone in our daughter’s family has suffered from a cold. They suspect that the cold came home from school with their son, but it soon caused her husband to be uncomfortable around the time we arrived. We thought that she might avoid it, but yesterday she had all of the symptoms. And their son seems to have a few cold symptoms as well.

So far, however, we have avoided feeling bad. The family is very comfortable. Our daughter aired out the house and washed bedding and they are being very careful with keeping surfaces clean and keeping their distance from us. Still, I know that it is easy to catch a cold, especially if your immune system is suppressed. I believe that one of the reasons I haven’t gotten sick is that I have so little stress in my life right now.

Essentially, I’ve been on vacation since the first of August and it is now October. We’ll be heading back home at the end of this week and I have some chores that need my attention. It is time to harvest honey and get my beehives ready for winter. I want to build a few raised beds in our back yard. We have an old hot tub that came with our home when we purchased it that needs to be removed from our back yard. Just figuring out how to do that will be a challenge, but there is no deadline, so I’m not loosing sleep over that project. I’ve got plenty of hobby projects waiting. I’m ready to mate the deck with the hull on a kayak I’m building and that phase of construction is a lot of fun. It will look like a boat soon. I have a couple of chairs that need to be re-glued, refinished, and get new cane woven. I enjoy that kind of work when I can do it at my own pace. And, if I get bored, there are always boxes that need to be sorted, household items that need to be given new homes, and photos to organize. I won’t be getting bored anytime soon.

The important thing, however, is that outside of the reality of my own mortality, I don’t have any deadlines looming. Some projects are more time sensitive than others, but I don’t have any deadlines on my calendar. I’ve agreed to a couple of volunteer jobs at church. I’m ringing in the bell choir and I’ll sing with the vocal choir. I’ve also agreed to serve as the church librarian and that includes working with a local independent bookstore for a book sale during Advent. We arranged the book sale the last two years as part of our job at the church, so we pretty much know what is needed to make it all work out. It should be fun.

So, for now, we are feeling heathy and very fortunate. As various viruses and infections seem to be going around, we are grateful that our health has remained good. We need to avoid the cold for another week. Traveling when you don’t feel good is no fun at all. And we’ll mask for the airline trips that will deliver us back to Washington next week. Other than that, the basics that we learned as kids and had reinforced during the pandemic are in play. Keep our distance. Cover coughs and sneezes. Wear masks when in close company. Wash our hands carefully. Clean surfaces frequently. Get plenty of sleep. Those practices will have to suffice, but staying healthy also involves a good deal of good fortune. I know that we aren’t magic and we aren’t immune to colds. However, feeling little stress in our lives seems to give us an advantage and we’re willing to take all of the advantages we can get.

It gives us more energy to pray for health and healing for those who need prayers.