As of today I have 123 more days until retirement. I have worked at Pomona High School as the school librarian for almost 25 years! As I think about retirement, I can't believe that I've have worked there that long. Then I think about all the teachers and students that I have known since I started there in 1986 and its really incredible. I have been thinking that the students who graduated when I started in 1986 are 43 years old now...guess that's enough evidence to believe that its time to move on.
I must say that I have really enjoyed working for the Pomona Unified School District. I graduated from a Pomona district school (Ganesha High School) in 1966 and have always felt a deep sense of gratitude for the excellent education that I received there. My hopes have always been to give back to the students that are there now the best that I can give each and every day.
I have met some wonderful people while I have been working at Pomona High. Teachers and administrators who are so devoted to the studenst and their families and who give so freely of their energy and time to help make each student the best they can be. In all the years that I have worked there I 've met nothing but great people and great young people.
This year, 2011 will be my last year of professional work. It will be hard to leave all the great people who I see and work with every day. But I guess in everyone's life these changes must occur. Reminds me of a book that I read a long time ago by Gail Sheedy called "Passages." In that book she talks about the passages and changes of life that normally occur as one ages and moves on in their life. I guess this is one of those "life passages" for me.
As I think about retirement and what lies ahead for me, I am encouraged and very excited. My son Mark and his beautiful fiance Katie are getting married this summer. I am eagerly looking forward to the wedding which will be at the beach. It should be a glorious, utterly joyful day.
I'm looking forward to traveling, catching up on lots of projects that I have had to side-line for many years and catching up on alot of good books that I have been putting off reading. (My Sony Reader is also full!). I am hoping that this blog will let me talk about some of the exciting things that are going to happen and will help me as I adjust to becoming a "lady of leisure."
