To begin again in a new role is tough. I look at my daughter who is 39 and has two kids, ages 3 and 5 and think: when I was her age, her dad walked out. At 17, she thought she'd go keep house for him. That left me to raise a 15-year-old boy myself while attending college and working full-time.
I had not worked for almost 20 years, but my age, clothes, manner, and make-up got me a job for Clinique at Elder Beerman in a near-by mall. Clinique wanted to appeal to the 30s/40s women and what better way to do it than have a 39-year-old who had been using Clinique for 20 years?! It was a place to begin to put my life back together. It got me out of our town with different people who didn't know my husband and his girlfriend. I made new friends both at work and at school.
I no longer had to feel guilty for loving school and for wanting to get a degree. I didn't have to worry about my good grades offending my now ex. He wouldn't pay for them if they were not a D or higher, and I liked presenting him and his new wife with my As. My faith in God and loving support from my parents, son, and friends sustained me.
I just turned 60 this year and soon I will be beginning again. I will retire at the end of this school year after 16 years of teaching jr. high and high school students. I am looking forward to being able to do my artsy stuff again, to plant a garden, have the grandkids over more, and attend the grandkids' games without worrying about getting grading done and getting to bed at a decent time on a weekday. My husband (high school sweethearts reunited) is retired now and it will be wonderful to take off to Gatlinburg for several days in the fall or go some place smack dab in February--things I cannot do now. So much is out there, waiting for me to begin.
I recently went to Dallas, Texas to visit my daughter and her family. Abigail is 3 and Aaron is 5. Something to look forward to is being able to fly out in February or March for their birthdays. Not having to visit at the hottest time of the year will be wonderful!
I had not worked for almost 20 years, but my age, clothes, manner, and make-up got me a job for Clinique at Elder Beerman in a near-by mall. Clinique wanted to appeal to the 30s/40s women and what better way to do it than have a 39-year-old who had been using Clinique for 20 years?! It was a place to begin to put my life back together. It got me out of our town with different people who didn't know my husband and his girlfriend. I made new friends both at work and at school.
I no longer had to feel guilty for loving school and for wanting to get a degree. I didn't have to worry about my good grades offending my now ex. He wouldn't pay for them if they were not a D or higher, and I liked presenting him and his new wife with my As. My faith in God and loving support from my parents, son, and friends sustained me.
I just turned 60 this year and soon I will be beginning again. I will retire at the end of this school year after 16 years of teaching jr. high and high school students. I am looking forward to being able to do my artsy stuff again, to plant a garden, have the grandkids over more, and attend the grandkids' games without worrying about getting grading done and getting to bed at a decent time on a weekday. My husband (high school sweethearts reunited) is retired now and it will be wonderful to take off to Gatlinburg for several days in the fall or go some place smack dab in February--things I cannot do now. So much is out there, waiting for me to begin.
Some new beginnings are very hard, but the next one sounds good!
ReplyDeleteYesterday, i was thinking about beginnings and middles and endings. Sometimes it gets a bit confusing. A beginning can also be an ending as well as the middle of a process, depending on my perspective in the moment. I suppose many words are that way, if i think about it. But, i'm not going to think about it. Thanks for the latest mail in my box. I like the photo that you shared in this post. It looks like three happy kids :-)
ReplyDeletesome beginnings are harder than others, especially when the stem from life breaking up and not from a phase of life ending gracefully. retirement will be a good beginning!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are ready. I'm still not sure when I will retire--but I'm getting closer every year! (If only I didn't have to have health insurance!)
ReplyDeleteSo exciting for you Beth!! I am doing fine, thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteox