Sunday, April 3, 2016

Retirement

I found this draft that I wrote in 2011 and never posted. As I read it now I know I made the right decision.  I am happy that I retired when I did. I still sub, but there is no stress or very little if there is.  I still feel lighter and less pressured. I may not have all the benefits of being a full time teacher, but I have all the joys of teaching without the stress. I am still contributing to my annuities and still earning a paycheck. I get the best of both worlds and I  get to pick and choose when I work.  Some weeks I sub full time, others I don't sub at all. I get to go to lunch with friends, or sleep in and travel. I am very happy that I retired because if I had not I would not be the person I am today, more relaxed, healthier, happier, and still enjoying teaching.

"I turned in my retirement papers to the school district this week and it felt wonderful. I felt as if a load was lifted off my shoulders. I was lighter.  The end is in sight. There are 74 more teacher days until the end of the school year.  I am ready.  I can do this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am running toward it on air.  My principal wished me well and congratulated me on retiring. She said she wishes she could retire but she is young and has many more years to go.

I felt the tension in my body release it was like a  breath of fresh air blew though.  I did not realize how tense I was until I felt the release.  It was calming and transformitive.  I should have done this before now.

I am going through my school books and files and clearing things out.  Making piles to pass on to new teachers I know and to share with other teachers.  I also have tons that is heading toward the recycle bin.  There are books going to the second hand bookstore or the thrift store as well.  Some may become altered books or journals for me or someone else.  Others may find their way to another home or classroom and some may end up in the landfills or be used as kindling for a fire, but no matter what route they travel they have served me well.

My next step is to mail in my papers to the state so I can get paid in my retirement. Yes it is a pay cut, but we will survive.  I can always sub if the urge takes me, or get another job. There are many options out there, quilt stores, book stores, private school, tutoring, quilting, who knows where the path will lead. God knocked and I answered.  He said it was time to close this door, so I am sure he will open another for me when the time is right.  Until then I will just float through the rest of this school year and see where the pat shall lead.

Several students are sad that I am leaving and some asked me to stay another year until they graduate, but they also understand that I need to move one with my life. It is time for a change and retiring is the right step. 

The one thing I do know is that retiring is the right thing for me at this point in time."

It Is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to Pay Off Your College Loan

  There is a key point that the leftist are totally missing in their, asinine argument, saying that the government should pay off student lo...