Studies have shown that people who went into the job market at 2008 never caught up to the careers of their peers who joined before or after the recession.

I don't know if it's the same for someone with 20+ years of experience, but now probably a good time to not get a new job. Perfect time to continue studies or do your own thing.

I think at your age, the concern is ageism. Too long in the weeds and you get tired, cynical, resistant to change. Nobody would fault you for having a resume gap with that much experience.

So just playing with tech sounds like the best career choice at this point.