A few years back, I entered my 72nd year as a member of the human race. I have never been big on celebrating birthdays. They come too fast now, anyway. However, I do tend to look back, often pensively, on the days that have passed, since I'm not very good at looking into the future.

What with my oft-failing body, I sometimes gaze back longingly to the days of my youth. Then I remember those middle years of life, and I surely do not want to repeat them. Those were the years full of stress as I dealt with my career, and the responsibilities of raising a family. There were good times, but they were often overshadowed by extreme stress. I remember a vision that sometimes came to me. I would imagine myself leaving the cares of the world behind, and building a cabin where I would live all alone somewhere in the Great Rocky Mountains. In my imaginary paradise, I would plant a garden, have a few goats, and live in harmony with nature.

The retirement years have been good to me. I have remained active and participate in many activities at church and with friends and neighbors. I can now enjoy my family with much less responsibility. I really have found that idyllic existence I used to dream of, without the isolation that was part of my vision. Yet there are still times when I need to withdraw from life and meditate alone. I think we all need that from time to time. One of my ways of escaping is to read poetry. William Butler Yeats captured my vision of escape so beautifully in this poem. I think that retirement has become my Innisfree. Where is your Innisfree?

This was my dream?