Retirement, going out in style

I can't tell you how many times during my working years that I mused about retirement life and what I would do if I was suddenly free to pursue whatever I wanted to do. It was a lot. Not because I was dissatisfied with my job. Every day I would observe the unhappy, distressed faces of my fellow commuters on the road to work and be thankful that "the system" had worked for me. I am refering to the educational system that is so often maligned and so little praised. That system told me as a young man that I could count on a substantial reward if I invested in education. I did and it worked. I would not have guessed in my youth that I would have a career as a teacher and love it as much as I do.

Teaching forced me to grow in ways I would not have immagined. The very act of showing up and putting myself in a position of responsibility daily has allowed me to see myself as a integral piece of a community. I realized at some point that I was needed. Valued. I was not an easy person to convince. Through many of the early years, I suffered with issues of low self esteem, inadiquacy. This job, though has a way of allowing one to work through those issues. Students will forgive inadiquacies, (especially if they know that you are aware of them and that you are working on them) and hold your feet to the fire (accountability) all at once. I could not have had better teachers than my students.

Now, I am experiencing a transition period. My retirement has removed me from the mainstream of the teaching duties and left me to figgure out for myself what and where is the source of my self-esteem. I am not cut off from the teaching community, I am once removed from it... (I have an open invitation to help in my old artroom anytime...and I often do). But I am removed from knowing daily that I am needed.

I now see for myself the task of rewiring of my thinking and identifying a new sourch of fullfillment.

Glazing tiles in the backyard studio

I am in a position to do for myself the kinds of art that I had cooked up for my students for so many years. Projects that embrace ideas and feelings and skillsets that may be just beyond my comfort zone. Art that challenges my skills and allow me to play at the same time.

Over the past year, since giving over my classroom teaching job, I have indulged in creating a body of artwork in my studio that I will be sharring with the public in the month of March. My ceramic pieces and Lawrence Yombwe's paintings will be on display at the Aurora Gallery 1004 Main St. through the month. It would be meaningful to me if you could find time to stop by and take a look. The opening reception will be First Friday of the month March 4th from 5-9. I would especially love to share this experience with my "tribe", my educational community. All proceeds from this exhibition will go to finance the Africa teaching adventure.