I keep thinking I need to write a post. Then I get a call from my daughter asking if I can babysit. Or a call from my other daughter asking if I can babysit. Or a call from my other daughter...... you get the picture. I've been doing a lot of babysitting, a thing which I LOVE! Those little people just have a way of making life worth living.
I really looked forward to retirement. I was never what you call "career driven". I only worked because we needed the money. That's what happens when you marry a school teacher. So when the opportunity arose for me to be able to retire, I was very excited!
I had a really good job. I loved the people I worked with. They were all so positive and upbeat. I had a very nice office with a view. I was able to decorate my office any way I wanted which made it feel like home. I also had my own private fridge in the room next door. I had the respect of my peers. I was the office assistant to the dean of our college. I was "somebody". Looking back I can't really believe how I ended up there. I was working part time in the Geology office when the Dean's secretary had to retire very quickly due to her cancer coming back. I had filled in for her a couple of years before when she was out for treatments. Because of the speed of having to replace her I was summoned into the Dean's office.
"I want you to apply for the job", said the Dean.
"Really? I don't know if I want to", said me.
"I think you're the best person because you won't need a lot of training", said the Dean.
"Ok. But I will only apply if I can be very flexible and be able to take as much time off as I want to help my kids with their kids", said me.
"Ok", said the Dean.
And I was hired. I made a lot of money, which I really didn't know what to do with because I never really had a lot of money. I loved my bosses. I loved being able to be successful in keeping the College going. I organized and ran Convocation for our entire college three times a year. I organized and ran 2 major socials for our entire college's faculty and staff twice a year. I had a very close working relationship with most of the faculty and staff of not only our college, but with the administration. I felt valued.
Then I retired with a grin on my face. I was not expecting the feeling of being a nobody. It was kind of a hard transition to be okay with that. I was quite surprised. And for someone like me to feel that loss, I can only imagine how much harder it is for people who are very career driven to suddenly be unemployed.
