Getting Older and finding the old bucket list has changed

[corkym]

Eavesdropping here thunderseed and I know your post was addressed to freshstart, but I just had to say what a great question for people to think about. "what matters to you, like what is an idea of something that you could do that would give you purpose, and what is standing in your way?" I like questions like that to get the thinking juices stirred up to "think outside the box". My box is my comfort zone and I usually can't see beyond my nose so I need to be kicked in the butt with questions like this.

[freshstart]

My purpose turned out to be hospice nursing, it was an a-ha moment that I was where I belonged. I loved being let into a family's circle and have them trust me enough that I would do my best at whatever was needed. There were lots of raw hours holding someone's hand that you've gotten to know over 2yrs, who has no one but does not want to die alone. I'm not explaining that correctly. Basically, I had found the place I wanted to serve (even though paid), I passed up stupid management jobs so I could continue to do what I felt called to do. I fully intended 18 more years of this. Then got sick, did not listen to my docs to get SSDI because I would not be going back. Started in Sept, by June 1 I had to be let go, 5 days short of 23 years at my company.

Right now, I truly feel like I have no purpose at all except to my dogs and kids, lol. I am a burden and I hate that. I've thought about volunteer work (cannot remotely do this yet), I want a break from people for a while so I was thinking animal shelter. then I read about, don't laugh, hospice for pets, you foster a dying dog so it does not die in a crate alone at the shelter. This I could do, regular fostering would lead to 10 dogs. This is on my back burner.

what's yours, if you feel like sharing?