A former workmate with a background in nursing commented some years ago that, in retirement, we needed to recalibrate what counts as an achievement. It is no longer a matter of winning the esteem of others, a higher salary, a fancier title, more responsibility, a corner office or acclaim for our achievements. We needed to scale back our expectations so that we might relish every victory no matter how modest. What my friend proposed made the case of “lowered expectations,” as it were.
My modest achievement the past few days is fixing the “cloud” light fixture in our kitchen. These fixtures have a plastic diffuser covering one or more circular florescent bulbs. Ours had stopped working, and since it is on the same circuit as our under-cabinet lights, I knew that it was either the bulbs or the ballast. The bulbs looked nominally normal. I found the requisite ballast, and I ordered it from Amazon – neither Home Depot nor Lowes had it at the local stores. Alas.
The ballast arrived. I disassembled the cloud, replaced the ballast, and put it to the test. Success! I admit that my bar for achievement is much lower these days than it was ten years ago, but I myself am shorter too. So, it all evens out, I think.
