After retiring from teaching, running a nonprofit food truck kept the author's schedule demanding. The real feeling of retirement emerged when the truck shut down. The pandemic forced all interactions indoors, impacting routines and feelings of time. Riding a bike across Texas during the pandemic was a significant physical achievement, yet it was characterized by loneliness and a lack of community connection. After restrictions lifted, the author returned to the food truck, continuing the mission until 2024, reflecting on how life transitions evolved.
Retirement came after 38 years as a teacher, leading to starting a nonprofit food truck for people with disabilities, which felt as demanding as teaching.
When the nonprofit food truck shut down in November after a busy summer, the author began to experience a true sense of retirement.
The pandemic interrupted retirement, forcing a return home that felt like survival, breaking routines and making time feel irrelevant.
Riding a bike across Texas during the pandemic was shaped by the loneliness of restrictions, leading to fitness but not a sense of fulfillment.
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