How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye?

Remember the song by Patty Loveless - "How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye"? There is one refrain from the song that plays through my hand at different times in my life:

Mama whispered softly, Time will ease your pain

Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same.

And the refrain is running through my head many days right now as I face a lot of changes in the near future. All of us just collectively made the change into 2012. A new year always feels exciting; a new start. We may look back nostagically at the year as it passes, but we always happily anticipate a fresh start of a new year and we make all those resolutions that are going to make this new year better - eat less, exercise more / spend less - save more / work less - play more. We always think in terms of more good things.

In my home away from home

Along with welcoming in 2012, I am facing some other changes that are a mixed bag of anticipation and anxiety. First, I am ending my career at Rockdale County Public Schools and leaving behind the position I have held for 22 years. As the keeper of official records of the Board of Education, I have been sole creator and curator of their documents as well as their scheduled activities. As I have been the designer of the procedures, these tasks have become so ingrained in me that I could probably literally "conduct them in my sleep". It is a wee bit difficult for me to pass these duties on to other hands, yet Life's About Changing.

Ron on the porch of my sister's house on Frank Aiken Road

After walking through these office doors for the last time, I will have about a week in my existing home to finalize the packing. For the past few years, Ron and I have been in a rental home that belongs to my sister. Built in the 60s, the house is a typical tract home with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. Moving there from a 3,000 square foot house has helped ease me into the "downsizing" mode of thinking. Much of our furniture and other paraphenalia necessary for living has been stored away in a storage unit for the past few years, and I have learned that I have managed just fine without all the stuff. In fact, I do not even remember exactly what is packed in all the boxes so securely stored. I do know that I look forward to unpacking my books, scrapbooks, and photographs. It has been fun to decorate this little house and live with its coziness, but on February 4, I will walk out those doors for the last time (perhaps). Nothing ever stays the same.

Then Ron and I will be walking into the doors of our next home. We think of this as our retirement home. The last resting place on this earth. But we thought the Conyers house was the retirement home. So we'll see what God has planned for the future.

North Carolina Home

Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same.
And it is about to change drastically for us. We are saying goodbye to so many things in our life that have defined us for a long time. But we are walking into new challenges, new cultures, and new opportunities. New free hours (due to retirement), a new city and state, a new abode, and a new beginning. Life's about to change. More good things are on the way.