Retired as a School Media Specialist after 36 happy years on the job. Beginning in 1967, I went from Books and 16MM movie projectors to Computers, Video and Digital Cameras and computerized cataloging during my three decade sojourn. It was a good and exciting run.
Began as a Born again Christian in 1957. Went from Free Methodist to Baptist, to Catholic Charismatic, to Assembly of God, as my home church. This seemingly ecclectic background was really a chance to see the reality of the Gospel in many different streams of Christianity. I am amazed at how the truth of the Gospel has held firm though ages of social and political change.
C.S. Lewis once compared Christianity in its various forms to a circle with Christ at the Center and the various families of faith as pie shaped pieces around that Center. The statement "The closer we are to Christ, the closer we are to one another" has proven true by all that I have observed & known.
Friday, September 24, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Retirement
FREE TO BE ME
When I knew I was going to retire at the end of the school year 2003, I began a file called "Free to be me in 2003". This file existed on both my computers at home and at work. It also was present in the form of a journal that I kept of all places in the master bathroom of my condo, for there as I readied myself for another day at school, many thoughts pro and con for the eventual hard to write letter of intention to leave my 36 year position, came into my head. These entries were always easily accessible in my free moments when I pondered whether this was really the time and place for me to make this life change. As the 2002 - 2003 school year progressed I received much confirmation that this was indeed the right choice. After making the choice, I was not inspired to write THE LETTER, until I was out on a sick day with a cold, and I received several telephone calls. One was from a fellow librarian who had shared with me that the news was afoot that budget cuts were causing the powers that be to cut two secondary librarian positions, giving each Middle School Media Specialist, not one, but two schools. My friend was in danger of being sent back to elementary if my letter was not in the administration office by Friday of that week. The second call was from my principal, who did not know that I already knew the cuts were coming, and did not want me to get the news by email which is what Central Administration had used as their way of informing all of us of the impending job change. Since I was feeling better in the afternoon of my sick day, I took my laptop and wrote a beautiful intent to retire letter in about ten minutes. I felt very good about it, and presented copies to my principals the following day telling them that I always hoped that when I did finally retire, I would do so with bosses that I would be sad about leaving. They were such and we hugged and cried, and they allowed me to deliver the letter to the Admin building, starting the pre-retirement wheels to roll.
My long time library clerk and friend, Lucy, had retired herself a few years before. A statement she had made at the time made sense to me as I became older. She said "You know when it is time to go." Well, my knees did not like getting to the bottom shelves. It was taking longer for me to organize things for a good presentation. I had canceled all of my real life activities after school, because I was just plain too tired to do anything but work, and taking the advice of a previously retired librarian friend I was working extra hours getting things finished, thrown out, or re organized for the new person. That new person turned out to be my friend whose job my early notification had saved. I then had from February until June to finish the cleaning and packing and writing of notes to get me out of the building in June and leave a good situation for my successor. I am now SO glad that is all over. This year has brought more cuts, and my two volunteer library jobs are quite demanding, but I have had time to meet often with friends and take a family vacation with my two sisters and their spouses. All in all, even though I still get tired. Life is good.
When I knew I was going to retire at the end of the school year 2003, I began a file called "Free to be me in 2003". This file existed on both my computers at home and at work. It also was present in the form of a journal that I kept of all places in the master bathroom of my condo, for there as I readied myself for another day at school, many thoughts pro and con for the eventual hard to write letter of intention to leave my 36 year position, came into my head. These entries were always easily accessible in my free moments when I pondered whether this was really the time and place for me to make this life change. As the 2002 - 2003 school year progressed I received much confirmation that this was indeed the right choice. After making the choice, I was not inspired to write THE LETTER, until I was out on a sick day with a cold, and I received several telephone calls. One was from a fellow librarian who had shared with me that the news was afoot that budget cuts were causing the powers that be to cut two secondary librarian positions, giving each Middle School Media Specialist, not one, but two schools. My friend was in danger of being sent back to elementary if my letter was not in the administration office by Friday of that week. The second call was from my principal, who did not know that I already knew the cuts were coming, and did not want me to get the news by email which is what Central Administration had used as their way of informing all of us of the impending job change. Since I was feeling better in the afternoon of my sick day, I took my laptop and wrote a beautiful intent to retire letter in about ten minutes. I felt very good about it, and presented copies to my principals the following day telling them that I always hoped that when I did finally retire, I would do so with bosses that I would be sad about leaving. They were such and we hugged and cried, and they allowed me to deliver the letter to the Admin building, starting the pre-retirement wheels to roll.
My long time library clerk and friend, Lucy, had retired herself a few years before. A statement she had made at the time made sense to me as I became older. She said "You know when it is time to go." Well, my knees did not like getting to the bottom shelves. It was taking longer for me to organize things for a good presentation. I had canceled all of my real life activities after school, because I was just plain too tired to do anything but work, and taking the advice of a previously retired librarian friend I was working extra hours getting things finished, thrown out, or re organized for the new person. That new person turned out to be my friend whose job my early notification had saved. I then had from February until June to finish the cleaning and packing and writing of notes to get me out of the building in June and leave a good situation for my successor. I am now SO glad that is all over. This year has brought more cuts, and my two volunteer library jobs are quite demanding, but I have had time to meet often with friends and take a family vacation with my two sisters and their spouses. All in all, even though I still get tired. Life is good.
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