At 85, Lynne Levin proves life’s greatest chapter can begin after retirement

For many people, retirement is a time to slow down and keep to oneself, but for 85-year-old Lynne Levin, it signified the beginning of an exciting new journey filled with bringing people together, volunteering and a touch of creativity.

Hailing from Muizenberg, Levin spent a couple of years working as a legal secretary.

While enjoying her life as a carefree single woman, one day, she met a man who, at the time, she did not know would become the love of her life.

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Levin then got married and moved to Springs with her husband to start a family. After the birth of her first child in 1963, she began doing volunteer work, the one decision that would shape the rest of her life.

Today, years later, she continues to be active and enjoy what life has to offer her.

Three years ago, Levin started The Knitting & Crochet Group, which now has 30 members who meet every Monday morning to share several hours of company and cheer.

The group gathers for a session of knitting, crocheting blankets, booties, soft toys, and beanies that are then given to new mothers and their babies through a community outreach initiative.

Although she founded the group, Levin has pointed out that she is not a teacher.

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“The ladies who have joined are mostly experienced crocheters and knitters,” she said.

Her profound love for creativity began way before she retired. At three, Levin learned how to knit from her sister and then started crocheting later in life after having been taught by her mother-in-law.

“Creativity is my passion,” she said.

That passion has been expressed in many different ways over the years. In addition to the knitting and crochet group, Levin spends her time writing a monthly house and garden newsletter that she started during the Covid-19 pandemic and runs a garden club. She also makes jewellery, a hobby she took up after undergoing two hip replacements in 2013.

Instead of seeing retirement as the end of her life, Levin has taken it as an opportunity to keep learning new things, expressing her creativity and connecting with others.

Pondering on the lessons she has learned over the years, Levin believes that with every challenge, an opportunity is born.

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“There is an alternative to every situation in life. If it doesn’t work one way, it will work another way,” she said.

Her belief has helped her navigate life’s highs and lows.

“I accept no limitations in my life, for I know that every obstacle set before me is there to uplift me and raise me to a new level of consciousness. With my God-given ability, nothing is impossible for me to achieve.”

She also lives by the reminder that nothing stays the same forever and believes there is always a way to achieve one’s goals.

Levin hopes her story encourages others to see that age should never be the reason to stop living.

From her perspective, retirement has meant embracing life with a renewed purpose, clearly proving that the golden years can contribute to life’s most meaningful moments.

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