Ten More Days
August 15, 2013
Thirty-three years at my job. That is approximately 8, 250 working days. And I have only ten left.
I look around my office, my home-away-from-home. On my walls I have two watercolors, two large prints and a bunch of awards. On the credenza next to my desk, I have an engraved glass plaque, given to me in 1999 by our Mexican alumni association. It thanks me for my “unvaluable” contribution to our Mexican students. (I don’t know how to say “invaluable” in Spanish so I am not complaining about their English.) It’s next to a certificate from Harvard, thanking me for twenty-five years of service. On top of my bookshelves are family pictures that I change annually, the old ones saved in a folder in my desk.
Yesterday, I took photos of my office walls with my cell phone so I don’t forget what they looked like. Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent the time between meetings sorting through my files. I’m not nearly done, but I will be by August 30th.
It’s a bit scary.
I know how you feel. I had planned to work a couple of years more but I heard "We can get it cheaper from India" one too many times so I gave up on that idea. When I retired in 2001 I was at a loss for a while. It was hard to leave the people who had grown to be like a second family over time and also lost all the people who could understand my fascination with technology. No one to discuss techie things with. Still, I knew it would all work out and it has. You have the new challenge of returning to school and will be just fine in time. Still, do not be surprised to have days when you think maybe it was a mistake.
Posted by: Twin City Joan | August 16, 2013 at 11:06 AM