Vickie Hardin Woods, a former city planner from Salem, Oregon, faced a common fear upon retirement: the loss of her professional identity. At 61, she devised a unique plan to combat isolation and reignite her sense of purpose. Instead of dwelling on what she no longer was, she focused on doing something new—baking a pie every day for an entire year and giving each one away.
A Recipe for Connection and Creativity
Hardin Woods began her project with a lemon meringue pie for her 88-year-old aunt, Carolyn, who had provided stability during her teenage years. This gesture set the tone for a year of daily baking, using fresh local ingredients from Oregon. She baked peach pies for old friends, chocolate cream pies for new mothers, and even shared a pie with a homeless man outside a mall, who then distributed it among his companions.
Overcoming Personal Challenges
The decision to bake daily was not just about filling time; it was a response to a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment the previous year. Hardin Woods used the project to prove to herself that she could still think creatively and maintain mental sharpness. As she explains, "I was trying to show myself that I could still think and be creative." The routine of baking and reaching out to others helped her avoid isolation and provided a structured daily activity.
From City Planning to Pie Making
With over 30 years in city planning, including a role as department head, Hardin Woods is no stranger to organizing chaos into something manageable. She draws a parallel between her career and baking: "You take a bunch of ingredients and you create something out of them." This mindset helped her transition from a high-stakes professional life to a more personal, creative pursuit.
Life Lessons and Lasting Impact
Twelve years after her year of pies, Hardin Woods continues to embrace new projects, such as writing daily letters and painting local skies. She even won a Best of Show prize at a state fair for a brown butter hazelnut pie and is writing a book about her experience. More importantly, she learned that her professional identity was not critical to her self-worth. "What really came out of it was the understanding that I was someone who could do new things," she reflects.
Now 74, Hardin Woods has taught her grandchildren to bake and still thinks of people she'd like to give pies to after encounters. Her story highlights how simple acts of generosity and creativity can redefine life after 60, offering inspiration to others seeking new directions in retirement.
