My first job, full-time, was in 1975. That’s 50 years ago. Wow! Since then I’ve been employed most of that time. Selling shoes, selling film and cameras, provincial government employee, Salvation Army officer, to name some of them. Now working in retirement, I have been, for the most part, happy in what I do.

But this morning I gave a heavy sigh as I headed to the basement, where my office is. The sigh must have been loud, for Wendy asked, “Have you had enough?”

There is truth in her question, and some days I say yes, I have had enough. Enough hopping out of bed, enough sorting through issues, enough dealing with people, enough keeping a schedule. Yes, some days I have had enough. Like eating pie. I love pie – cherry, strawberry rhubarb, PEACH, raisin, mincemeat, blueberry (less so), lemon, and chocolate. But even when you love eating something you do reach a point of saying, That’s enough.

Well, then. Have I had enough? I don’t believe so. But like other parts of my life I can see it coming.

When I was 13 I discovered aquariums and tropical fish. My friend Don introduced me. His Dad had a good sized aquarium and was breeding guppies, though to breed them you just throw them in water. They’re like rabbits. I got a small aquarium shortly afterward and slowly put together enough Christmas and birthday money to buy the equipment to run it, along with some fish. I had an aquarium from that point on for years. I bred numerous types including some egg layers – cichliads and angel fish. I loved it. And then one day I woke up feeling like I had had enough.

Have you had that kind of experience? Something you enjoyed for a long time and then you decided that you had had enough? I can say that’s true of a few things in my life. I loved playing hockey and then I decided I had had enough. What drives this for me, I don’t understand. But I know when it arrives how I feel.

And perhaps it has more to do with what else is going on in my life. Because we all know that new interests can replace old ones. And is that true for you?

My days are very structured around working, keeping my time Wendy as a priority and looking after our family including Nugget. Not sure I’ve had enough, but it was an interesting question to consider.