Does anybody ever feel the least bit guilty? Somedays I feel I should be thanking my lucky stars that I don't have to work - and believe me - I do NOT miss the alarm clock, constant pressure etc. as Emily said. I do like my freedom to go to yoga in the middle of the morning or take an extra long bike ride. But my still employed friends are really envious that I retired so early (age 54.)

To my defense, I worked 36 years in a job that became increasingly more difficult. There were days that I'd burst into tears as I pulled into the parking space because the pressure was enormous (budget cuts, demanding faculty, out of touch administrators, lackadaisical staff). I always felt that when I retired, I would remember that I earned it.

But there are times that I feel like I'm too young and I should still be in the mill (slowly being ground to a pulp?). One of my huge goals was to become more centered and calm. I thought it would happen a lot sooner.