How music, language, and the stories we tell ourselves shape meaning, purpose, and the way we experience retirement and everyday life.

A forgotten psychological assessment from 2015 forced me to confront a question I thought I had already answered: Who am I? What began as a reflection on leadership and self-confidence became a deeper exploration of identity, change, backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, and why the better question may be, "Who am I becoming?"

I first met my retinal specialist, Dr. Geeta Lalwani, on August 5, 2013. It was a day I thought would define the rest of my life. In the thirteen years since, my annual eye exams have come to feel more like visits with an old friend. They usually follow a familiar script. "Nice to see you, Chris." A warm smile. A careful examination. A few quiet minutes as she studies the scans her technician has taken of my eyes. Then the familiar conversation about another promising treatment that might one...