My Life Here in God’s Waiting Room – Florida
Category: General Retirement Issues
This interview with the author Lisa Black first appeared on JungleRedWriters.com. We are reprinting part of it here with permission because her positive take on Florida and retirees is so interesting. Lisa’s new book is What Harms You.
God’s Waiting Room – otherwise known as southern Florida
Yes, it’s a sarcastic moniker with a degree of not only truth, but pride. And yes, I am surrounded by retirees (and hoping to join their ranks within the next five years), and because of that, I am surrounded by stories. Fascinating, hilarious, sometimes poignant stories, and every day I encounter new ones.
I work for a police department as a civilian forensic scientist. I am also an author who speaks at luncheons and libraries. I volunteer with the local hospice, keeping patients company (and often writing my words for the day) while their caregiver runs errands or have lunch out. So I encounter a lot of ‘older folks.’
“Lisa Black’s second Locard Institute novel is clever, chilling, and enormously gripping right up until the very last page. Black combines spot-on forensic detail with empathetic characters I can’t wait to see more of–this series tops my list of new favorites.”
Deborah Crombie
The retirees of Florida are not crotchety and dull. They are dynamic careerists with a lifetime of experience to share. Now they volunteer, they speak up, they never met a cruise they wouldn’t take.
Some had been civil engineers or nurses for forty years. Last week I met a woman who taught schoolgirls in Afghanistan before its collapse and said they were the best students she’d ever had—so motivated to learn. I was invited to address a book club by a woman who had danced on Broadway for a decade or two. I met a talkative guy who had been part of inventing liquid crystal displays for wristwatches and other applications. One of my patients had spent his life as a rock drummer for bands like Meat Loaf, Styx, and Alice Cooper. He had argued with his girlfriend about needing a ‘sitter’, but as soon as I burst out “You were Alice Cooper’s drummer?” we became fast friends.
I’m close friends with a domestic violence survivor, and heard the harrowing story of how she endured her final weekend with him, waiting for a space to open at the women’s shelter. She brought both her young sons into bed with her so that when he came in that Friday night, drunk and looking for a fight, she pointed out the boys sleeping at the foot of the bed. Somehow that kept her safe. The moment he went to work on Monday morning, she packed up the four kids and whatever else she could and fled. It took him months to track her down, but by then she was safe from all but the nightmares for years. Only when he died, did they stop.
I met a woman who had done the beauty contest circuit and was writing a book on its corrupt nature. A former firefighter explained to me what a ‘two-alarm’ or a ‘four-alarm’ fire meant. Another patient had been a journalist for the Washington Post and wanted to publish his three mystery novels. As I’d practiced with one or two of my own, I uploaded his to the platform, designed cover art and wrote his bio.
But this area isn’t called the waiting room for nothing—I encounter death frequently in my job. This does not depress me. What it has done is teach me to appreciate this short, short life.
The other night I told my husband that I had meant to do something and hadn’t gotten to it, and he griped: “That’s because you spend all your spare time with writer’s groups and the animal shelter and community orchestra practice. At your age you should be slowing down.”
“No.” I spoke forcefully, surprising him. “It’s time to speed up.”
Pay attention to that bucket list. Take that trip. Direct your kid’s school play. Learn that instrument.
Write that book.
That’s the lesson I’ve learned , hanging out in God’s Waiting Room
About Lisa Black
Lisa Black is the full-time CSI, NYT bestselling author of the Gardiner & Renner series and now the Locard Institute thrillers. The second in that series, What Harms You, (paid link) will be available July 25 wherever books are sold. Find out more at: www.lisa-black.com
Comments on "My Life Here in God’s Waiting Room – Florida"
Clyde says:
As a senior who lives in southeast Florida more than half the year I appreciated Lisa Black’s thoughtful essay. I have a slightly different take on how one might handle the “golden” years of their life. I think we can both slow down AND speed up, depending on our priorities at each moment and time. This is one of the great benefits of retirement from full-time work. The way we choose to live those years is differently nuanced for each of us.
Bill Bamber says:
Mam. Hope you smell the Roses along the way. Life is short but it does have beauty along the way!! Know God's Waiting Room is the next stop & going in with a Smile & gives a Laff!!
Cheers.
Lisa Black says:
Thanks for the nice comments!!
John Brady Comment: Thank you Lisa for sharing your perspective on Florida's retirement people. There is such a negative stereotype out there it is refreshing to hear such a positive account!
Shelley says:
Perhaps somewhere along the way I've heard of "God's waiting room". It makes me smile and feel good. All of life is God's waiting and training room. Use it well and 5o the best that you can, wisely. I'm a very active 76 year old with one small detail added: I have refused delivery of the message about being old or older. Old is a number; old is a state of mind. Good article. When I have time I'm going to check out Lisa's two series.
ksw says:
I worked in Orlando ca '86-'94. One of my co-workers introduced me to "gods waiting room" and told a story of St Petersburg drug store where the old codgers would congregate on a bench out front. Each hour, a new special would be announced and the group would get up to shop the hourly sale. It is probably this store -- https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2019/08/18/webbs-city-closed-40-years-ago-today-what-happened-to-the-worlds-most-unusual-drug-store/
Larry says:
Interesting interview and follow-on comments. But… My son and his young family live in Vero Beach. Last year they had trouble finding a home insurer and had to settle for one that doubled their rate. Yesterday, State Farm joined the long list of insurers who won’t cover Floridians. Young families and singles have options for relocation that seniors do not, at least not most seniors. Play this out and you have great material for a Twilight Zone episode. Plot line: Successful Florida novelist goes to sleep one night, awakens in the morning to find EVERYONE in her neighborhood or building, at the local supermarket, in the local park…walks with a cane or is in a wheelchair. Everyone under the age of 60 is gone. And the Weather Channel, playing in the background, warns of a Cat 5 hurricane on the way that will swamp half the state. (Remember the ending of On The Beach?) But, yes, the weather in January is better than it is in Connecticut. For now.
Clyde says:
I’m not sure where Larry got his information, but State Farm is not leaving Florida. In a July 14, 2023, news article entitled “State Farm says it's sticking with Florida months after ceasing new applications in California,” Foxbusiness.com stated “State Farm Insurance said this week that it is sticking with Florida and sees more opportunity there, thanks to the state's recent reforms for the industry, issuing a statement on the matter days after competitor Farmers Insurance became the latest insurer to reduce coverage in the state.” I do agree that the state’s administration and legislature have not done nearly enough to address Florida’s home insurance crisis, but State Farm isn’t leaving. https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/state-farm-doubles-down-florida-farmers-insurance-pulls-back
Larry says:
Clyde, thanks for the correction. Apologies to all and to State Farm. The headline I read was about Farmers Insurance which, aparently, is not going to sell some types of insurance in the state.