Looking Back

I really thought that in the process of deciding to retire that I had spent adequate time looking back at my career - where I had started, the stops along the way, where I ended, all the "what ifs."  Today's task proved me wrong.  My to do list had one thing one it - apply for a job.  My plan is to do some subbing to keep my finances afloat and perhaps give me some travel money.  The experience I have had with subbing in California led me to believe that I would prance into the HR office, wave my sub credential under their noses, they would write down my phone number and email address and I'd be on my way.  Well that was not to be.  I am still waiting for that elusive Washington Teaching Certificate to magically appear so I decided to stop by a job fair.  Once again, I thought that I would walk in and they would be overjoyed to see me; I would give them my number; problem solved.  Once again the answer was NO.  I am applying at two districts so I walked out of that job fair with two business cards bearing the website address of the district HR.  "Just apply on line," they said.  OK.  What I didn't know is that these application would be the most extensive I've ever had to complete.  The Baby Boom generation was all about face to face interviews - not my favorite either - but I didn't really have to go back through the annals of contracts, salary scales or names and numbers of supervisors to complete a job application.  Today's end result was a walk back through time, all the way back to 1989 when I got my credential followed by the salary scale of my first year of $19,000.  But the clincher was to recall the lead teacher and placements for my student teaching!  It has been a while since I had to think about the connections between my university classes, student teaching, the jobs, the salaries and those who led me to where I am now.  I am grateful for all those amazing leaders, for the money I was able to make and save to get me here, and for the years of experience that are absolutely the greatest thing I have to offer as a substitute.  And the best part of  this is that as everyone else is preparing their classrooms for the upcoming year, I feel absolutely no twinge of wistfulness.  I am very happy to be where I am and to be able to find value in work without losing myself in the process.  It's been a good run and I am hopeful that the subbing gig will be just the right fit to keep me alert and productive.  And hopefully that Washington certificate will show up sometime soon!