After working for nearly four decades at the same clinic, I finally retired at seventy. My colleagues threw a small farewell party filled with laughter, cake, and warm memories. On the way home, I picked up a strawberry cream cake, thinking I’d surprise my family and celebrate this new chapter together. But when I arrived, something felt wrong—the front door was locked, and my suitcases sat neatly on the porch. I realized in an instant that life, after retirement, was about to change in ways I never imagined.
