What work means

I haven't got anything special weighing on my mind today. I was thinking back over yesterday. I had a good day at work. The workshop that I hosted went well and everyone seemed to have a good time. It wasn't a big deal since it didn't involve but about 15 people, but when you see people be enthusiastic about something that you've done, it feels good. I also received a special thank you from one of my staff telling me what a good supervisor I was. That was also nice. I think that I have the best staff around. They are highly competent, motivated, nice people. I don't have to worry about the work that they do which is great because I never liked to micro-manage. I spent enough time on controlling drinking at home so it was easy to let things just move along on their own at work.

As I start to think about the years ahead, it is with a tinge of sadness that a career that I have so loved will be coming to a close. I've devoted years in graduate school and my entire working life to this profession. It's been a really good time overall. I still have a number of exciting projects yet to complete and others that are coming up this year, so I have a lot to look forward to. I do miss some of my colleagues who have left or are leaving. Some have retired and others have moved on to take positions elsewhere. One of the big carrots that gets held before your nose is whether you want to assume an administrative position. I've never had any desire to climb upwards in administration. It just isn't my idea of a fun time to do strategic plans, vision statements, budget projections, and all the other bureaucratic stuff. My focus remains fairly pure. I'm glad that my colleagues are making a decision to their liking. It just isn't an enticement to me. More money doesn't equal more happiness.

Work has meant more than just a paycheck to me. It's been a real journey and I've seen some fantastic things that few people will ever get to see. For that, I'm most grateful.

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." Sam Ewing