Shifting

My boss just left a group voice message to his directors and one of the phrases he used was "what you wake up each morning thinking about" referring to each of our areas of responsibility. I'm aware that it has been some time now since work was the first thing on my mind.

I think of the visual of a trapeze artist suspended in mid-air that William Bridges uses in his book Transitions. That's me! I haven't let go of work entirely but I'm not attached to it. I have a couple projects I am still interested in completing but if someone else were to take those on, I wouldn't feel a loss. I really couldn't imagine ever feeling this way, but little by little I've uncoiled my grasp, let the feelings sink in and realized that I am okay. I used to think that the trapeze artist in mid-air would be a scary place to be. It's not. I feel suspended, light, floating and not a bit scared.

I thought I knew what the next trapeze was. I don't. And I am fine not knowing and in no rush to grab anything.

Whew! :)

Greek proverb

"A society grows great when old men plant trees
whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

Reading this brought me to tears today. That's the challenge in aging, isn't it--contributing to the future even tho you won't personally participate? No wonder I find such sweet comfort now in the time that I spend with mentees and with my children and their children. There's wonder and delight in the conversations and slow silences. There's comfort even in knowing that they, too, will struggle and even suffer, but ultimately sit in the shade as I do now.
        
                       

Countdown

Just changed my screensaver to read "3 more months..." I have 43 more working days, which doesn't include vacation, holidays, training, travel or conferences. We had a great team meeting last week where as part of a visioning exercise for the team, they wrote and read letters to me dated May 31, 2013--a year from my retirement. There were lots of tears and testimony to what I created and what I meant to them personally. I doubt if they will know how much that meant to me until they reach this stage in their careers. How blessed I am to have these people in my life!