At the young age of 15, I started my first job. First job meaning it was not babysitting, but a “real” job that required taxes, work schedule, and “real” paycheck at end of pay period. Now at age of almost 66, I embark on my new life of REWIREMENT! You’ll note that I did not call this RETIRING! I refuse ... as I have no intention of retiring from anything. Definition of “retire” by Merriam .. 1.) To withdraw from action or danger; retreat. 2) to withdraw especially for privacy retired to her room.
Oh Heck No!!!!!!!
Definition of “rewire” by Merriam: 1) to provide or connect something with wire again. Well there you go, I am rewiring myself. The wire that concentrated on responsibilities of career and work days, months, years is now being replaced by the wire that will concentrate on so many different things and opportunities.
Recently at a team meeting at work, we were asked to share our “word” for 2019. I was so proud to hear my teammates all relate to a word that focused on the big picture in life and not just a work related goal. As I thought about my word, I had a great deal of difficulty choosing the right sentiment. I kept hearing service, action, assistance, sharing, loving in my thoughts. I kept trying to see which one spoke to me the loudest. I knew my focus would be different when the responsibilities of work went away at the end of January. As I discerned, I finally realized that all of these words directly related to my Baptism. That’s right, my Baptism! So my word for 2019 is Baptism. What I want to do is live my Baptism more fully.
I announced my intention of leaving work at the beginning of 2018. Over the course of the year, if I heard the question, “what are you going to do” once, I had to have heard it a 1000 times. My first several responses were to try to name the litany of opportunities I hoped to embrace. I finally tired of that, and merely would just answer “whatever I want to do.” It dawned on me, while receiving these questions, along with the implication of how much I had thrown myself into my career, that folks actually had almost defined me by my work. By seeing me in action in that capacity, they felt that I would be bored when I stepped away. More than one person has said, “that will last about 2 months, and then you’ll need to find a part tine job.” It concerns me to be defined in such a manner. Really? Is that what folks really see?
I’ve done a lot of soul searching in 2018. I won’t begin to say that this new journey has been worry free, anxiety free, and questioning to me in many, many ways. But I kept coming back to my word ... BAPTISM! My father would always give me tips on how to look and think about worries. I am a natural worrier, and often if I don’t have something to worry about, I’ll create something. He used to tell me to name two things that could happen with my worry, and when I did so, he would simply say, “that doesn’t sound like the end of the world to me.” So here are my two thoughts about leaving work:
1. I feel great! I am still very, very good at what I do. I still problem solve with the best. I still mentor my team quite effectively. I love my job. I have the energy to keep working right along, and I guess I can do that until I get sick or die. Or when I hear, “there sits Sharon, she’ll be here until the last dog dies!”
Or ....
2. I feel great! I can step away when my team is strong. I can leave them in the hands of a young, fresh mind with great knowledge. I can leave and give someone that is 30 years my junior an opportunity to step into an amazing position, with an amazing team, an amazing team of coparts, and an amazing director. Then I can take my heathy, vital, full of energy body and move on to exciting new adventures and embrace so many opportunities that I would not be able to do, if I kept working.
2. I feel great! I can step away when my team is strong. I can leave them in the hands of a young, fresh mind with great knowledge. I can leave and give someone that is 30 years my junior an opportunity to step into an amazing position, with an amazing team, an amazing team of coparts, and an amazing director. Then I can take my heathy, vital, full of energy body and move on to exciting new adventures and embrace so many opportunities that I would not be able to do, if I kept working.
Guess what? I choose #2!!!!!!! I’m now going to live my new definition!!
Deuteronomy 15:11. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, “you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
Proverbs 3:27. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
My energies will be focused on serving. I have been blessed my entire life, while others have had such struggles that most of us cannot even comprehend. In my own small way, I want to make a difference. I am blessed to belong to a church community that serves over 1000 lunch guests weekly with hot meals they would not otherwise receive. I’ll be participating in this venture. I also will be working with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat’s Mission. Putting God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope through affordable housing solutions.
I also want to embrace new lands, new people, new customs through travel. Scriptures for traveling, “ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:6 My motto for travel are the THREE L’s ... Learn, Laugh, Love. First we “learn” from new ventures, new lands, new people, then we “laugh” with each other with our customs, our accents, the way we look, then we “love” when we embrace our diversity. I’ve always found that in the end, we are all truly one people!
So for those of you who wonder “what will you do” ... worry not! I promise you I am not retiring but rather rewiring! But if you want to, go ahead and underestimate me, that will be fun!
I am embracing my new journey. I know that I will have self doubt, scared moments along the way, but I’m all in ... I’m 100% all in!
Proverbs 16:9. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Deuteronomy 15:11. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, “you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
Proverbs 3:27. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
My energies will be focused on serving. I have been blessed my entire life, while others have had such struggles that most of us cannot even comprehend. In my own small way, I want to make a difference. I am blessed to belong to a church community that serves over 1000 lunch guests weekly with hot meals they would not otherwise receive. I’ll be participating in this venture. I also will be working with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat’s Mission. Putting God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope through affordable housing solutions.
I also want to embrace new lands, new people, new customs through travel. Scriptures for traveling, “ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:6 My motto for travel are the THREE L’s ... Learn, Laugh, Love. First we “learn” from new ventures, new lands, new people, then we “laugh” with each other with our customs, our accents, the way we look, then we “love” when we embrace our diversity. I’ve always found that in the end, we are all truly one people!
So for those of you who wonder “what will you do” ... worry not! I promise you I am not retiring but rather rewiring! But if you want to, go ahead and underestimate me, that will be fun!
I am embracing my new journey. I know that I will have self doubt, scared moments along the way, but I’m all in ... I’m 100% all in!
Proverbs 16:9. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
