Renewal

Life begins each semester anew. New faces, each distinct individuals. Yet most at the same place in their life. Each group that starts gets the same information as the previous group. Many take in the information and assimilate it and move on the next semester for the step in their education. Since I have all of the business students in my classes, many recognize me and will say hi. I had one in my office that had the class four years ago, and she was disappointed that I did not recognize her. With 600 to 800 students a semester, I tend to retain memories of only the most outstanding. If the memories were negative, I consciously discard them. If the memories were positive, I kept them. It is really great to see the alumni return to campus as recruiters for their companies. Making a positive impact on someone’s life is one of the most rewarding things about teaching. I was thinking about when to retire from teaching and move on to the next phase of life. I have a friend that has retired, and I asked her what she was going to do next. Her answer was that she was going to travel and enjoy her family. I wish I could do that, but it is not how I am wired. I was thinking that I would retire from teaching in three to five years. After reflection, I think I will retire when I am no longer an effective educator, whenever that is. No timeline. And I need to have a plan for what I am going to do next. Even at my age (as one of my friends put it ‘advanced age’), I need to continue making a contribution. This blog is my way of practicing for the next phase in life. I plan to continue writing and thinking.