Well for those of you who read here regularly you know i was facing a 'goodbye' party with my old school...... something i wasn't much looking forward to.........
Well last night was the party.,... i had butterflies when i left for the restaurant.. when i parked my car i sat in it quietly for a bit... settling the butterflies and fighting my "fight or flight" response to the whole thing..........
And then i remembered something swan said in comment to my first blog about the party.... she pointed out that it was something i could do for THEM.. giving them closure.. letting them say goodbye.... and with those thoughts in my head i climbed out of the car and went in to join the party.
i was surprised by the ones who came... and yeah i will admit it.. hurt by those who didn't show (which was something that had haunted me) but i managed to put the hurt behind me and enjoy the 'old' ones who had come to celebrate my new posting. It was wonderful to see those 'old' faces... to catch up on all the news...
They gave me .... are you ready for this?? it made me laugh.... they gave me a watch..... just like i was retiring.. and in a funny way .., i guess i did retire.. after 29 years in one school .. leaving it and knowing i probably.... most likely.. won't see any of them again does make it a bit like retirement.
My ex principal and i had a really good chat... he is very insightful and i valued his opinions when i worked for him.. valued his thoughts on my move more than when i worked for him. He told me i was brave to make a move at this point in my career/in my life. It would have been easy to stay in the place i started... where i could almost "phone it in"....... and he was right.... suddenly i feel even more empowered.... more confident in the choice i made...
And my speech......... well i thanked them all (of course ) for the party.. but said that i wanted to thank many people for the lessons i learned from them... for how much they touched my life ... how much they supported me.........
The evening ended (as i suspected it would) with lots of hugs and "we must get together for coffee"...... and i smiled and nodded.. and thanked everyone... and came home happy that it was over.......
And more than ready to commit to this challenge that will take me through the next few years till i really do retire.
you didn't get a retirement watch, but rather yet another watch to add to your collection and they knew this after 29 years with you..
ReplyDeleteYOU LOVE WATCHES....
Sir,
Owner of morningstar
It sounds like it was a good evening, and I am glad you were able to do it and feel that it was positive. A good lesson for us all -- we touch so many lives; it is hard to know where those influences fall. We owe it to one another to stop and notice the connections every now and then.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and hugs,
swan
It was closure for you to ... and another affirmation that you made the right move.
ReplyDeleteAs another friend of ours is famous for saying, "good all over you".
I think it was really really good of you - swan was right- it was THEY who needed to say good bye and thank you! it sounds like it was quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteI realize you were not looking forward to the party, but it sounds like those throwing it needed some closure to say good bye and perhaps you came out of it with some new perspective and more confidence in your decision to make the change you did. Maybe reaffirmed is a better word?
ReplyDelete