A year ago, Dan and Bonnie Carlson took the plunge and joined Overture Ridgmar, one of Overture’s exceptional active adult communities. The decision to “rightsize” after retirement was not made lightly, but as they considered all options and weighed the potential benefits, they found an overwhelming number of reasons to pack up and move. One year into their active adult adventure it’s clear they are loving every minute of their new turnkey, stress-free, socially charged lifestyle.
Wow, that year certainly went by quickly! It is hard to believe my wife Bonnie, and I just passed the one-year anniversary of our effort to “rightsize” our lives. That being so, we got to wondering how we might measure the results of our endeavor. We had high hopes, of course, that the move from a house to an apartment would be a good one but, now that we are fully settled in, what is our level of satisfaction?
Naturally, before we finalized the decision to sell our house and move to Overture Ridgmar, we discussed what we wanted our new lives to look like. For example, one of our goals was to live in a comfortable and maintenance-free environment. Our quiet, comfortable, roomy, well- appointed apartment more than surpasses this criterion. Further, over the past year, on the very few occasions that a maintenance issue did arise, it was handled quickly, professionally, at no cost, and—the best part—the work was done by someone else!
Moving to a new community always presents a range of potential social concerns. We wondered: How will we connect with people? Will our new neighbors compare favorably with those we left behind? Any worries were erased immediately by the warm and welcoming reception we received from everyone we met. We now find ourselves among folks from a demographic niche similar to ours and, to our delight, many of our new neighbors have interests and life experiences much like our own.
Individually, Bonnie and I have joined groups that bring us enjoyment and growth. For instance, once each week I go to breakfast with a band of ten-to-fourteen men whose backgrounds and accomplishments are amazing. Bonnie has connected with a group of women who enjoy a variety of activities and interests. Together, we have befriended several couples with whom we enjoy going to lunch, dinner or area entertainment venues on a regular basis.
Having helped out for several years at a charity in our old neighborhood, we were hopeful that similar volunteer opportunities could be found near our new home. Soon after our move, we connected with a nearby food pantry, and are pleased to report that many of our new neighbors have joined in as well. As a matter of fact, Overture Ridgmar now conducts a quarterly food drive through which folks can pitch in to help others in some tangible way.
If asked to assess our level of satisfaction with the “rightsizing” of our lives over the past year, we would rate the experience as “exceeded expectations” in every respect. The result has been far better than we had any right to expect, and our level of contentment can best be measured in this very important way: We just renewed our lease for another fifteen months!
Needless to say, we celebrate having made this transition and what it has done for us. At the same time, though, we struggle with one nagging question:
Why didn’t we do this sooner?
As they eagerly take advantage of the unlimited activities and daily opportunities to expand their social world, the Carlsons are yet another Overture success story. This is their time and they are making the most of it. Check out the Overture community of your choice. You’ve already missed today’s activities, don’t miss tomorrow's!
ABOUT AUTHOR Daniel Carlson
Daniel Carlson is a retired police officer, former law enforcement educator and present-day active author. He and his high school sweetheart Bonnie, have been married for over half a century and have recently co-authored a book titled, “Home Sweet Apartment…Getting Rightsized in Our Seventies.” The young at heart couple are currently loving life at Overture Ridgmar, which is in the Great State of Texas, and in purposefully close proximity to their three children and seven terrific grandchildren.
Connect with Dan via:
Website: www.danbonbooks.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/danbonbooks
Blog: www.danbonbooks.blog