Thought for the Week - 22.8.24

I’ve taken “early retirement” but it’s not that long ago women were expected to retire at 60, and I’m past that. At least I knew the age limit was going to rise. Others planned but were caught out. Still others never really retire because their main work is unpaid.

Some dread retirement, some long for it, some have mixed feelings. I’m in the last category. 

I have been blessed with work that was challenging but usually fulfilling and often enjoyable. I now look forward to growing food full-time, not as a hobby but self-employed, hoping to supply others with fresh local produce. I might consider myself retired if I get to state pension age.

We all need healthy food for body, mind and spirit. Nobody retires as a human being, or as a follower of their faith. Change happens on every level, from the personal to international and we all have to respond as best we can. The climate crisis has brought challenges and will bring many more. We need to work together across borders, while being more self-reliant in food supplies. 

A recent report showed only 17 per cent of fruit and 55 per cent of vegetables consumed in the UK are grown here. What any one person does is usually a drop in the ocean, but we all contribute to the ripples. I hope and pray to keep doing that for a few years to come.