St. Croix Reminded Us That Life Doesn’t Stop After Retirement – It Begins Again

We had dreamed of visiting the Caribbean for decades but always postponed it because work, family, timing and life kept getting in the way. Retirement finally gave us the chance to stop waiting for permission. The flight from Chicago took longer than we expected, but we didn’t mind — we kept catching each other smiling like we were doing something rebellious.

St. Croix felt gentle from the moment we arrived. We stayed at a quiet beachfront inn on the north side, the kind with rocking chairs on the porch and breakfasts that feel like they were cooked just for you. We took our time exploring — Frederiksted one day, Christiansted the next. We ate roti, fresh fish, and coconut desserts that tasted like holidays feel.

Our random moment came when we got caught in a sudden rain shower at Cane Bay. Instead of running for cover, we stayed in the water and laughed like two teenagers skipping responsibility. The rain was warm, the sea was warm, and suddenly we were young again.

The melting moment arrived during a sunset sail. We held hands like we used to when life was slower. There were no deadlines, no future plans to solve, no worries to negotiate. Just sea breeze, soft music, and a level of peace we didn’t know we had earned.

Coming home, we agreed that St. Croix didn’t just give us a holiday — it reminded us that time isn’t something to spend, it’s something to feel.
— Margaret Collins and Samuel Collins