Barbara Morris, Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads Resident

At first glance our kitchen appears to be a butterfly garden; bright flecks of yellow cling to every flat surface–refrigerator, cabinet doors, microwave and oven. A closer look however  reveals that every “butterfly” is a small, bright yellow Post It note on which are  jotted words, phrases and hastily scrawled abbreviations, dashed off in blue or black ink, or color pencils– red, yellow, purple,  whatever came to hand.

Each Post It is a reminder of an interesting activity or event that fill our lives to overflowing here at GHBC—art films and art classes, wine seminars and tastings, current event lectures, musical programs, sing-a-longs, racking up miles on treadmills and stationary bikes, taking classes in yoga, balance, line dancing, joining poetry groups, memoir writing and book clubs,  flower arranging, viewing  travelogues, and first rate movies–and the list goes on. It’s a far cry from what we imagined our retirement life would be: We envisioned rocking on a porch with a good book and a glass of wine.

Yes, we have totally –and happily–reimagined our lives. In the process we have expanded our minds, nourished our souls and limbered our bodies.

The books and the wine are still in our lives, but instead of a rocking chair and a porch, we have a kitchen bright with a flurry of  yellow “butterflies.”