My Contributions

Good morning, God,

And thanks much for this new day.  I'm glad of the opportunities and possibilities that lie before me on this day, and I'm going to do my best to make the most of them in positive ways.  I'm not quite sure how I'll do, of course, but that's one of the constants of life, isn't it--doing the best we can even if we don't know what the results will be?

I'm in my third week of vacation now, and it seems very strange to me.  Getting up in the morning and not having anywhere that I have to go is very nice, but also a bit disconcerting.  I think that it's especially disconcerting now that I've decided to be done with teaching--there's no foreseeable end to this particular vacation, even though I know that financially, there will have to be.  I'll have to find another job, something else to do, but I know that it's going to be difficult to find something to do that will be fulfilling and that will pay the bills--and that also will allow me to make a contribution to the world.

Teaching has been a good career for me because I've always known that while teaching, I was giving something important to the world.  I was using my skills and talent and knowledge in ways that were productive and helpful to others, especially to young people.  I was able to contribute to the future, and that contribution allowed me to work from my strengths.  As of now, though, I have no idea what I'll be doing when we move, and I have no idea what kinds of contributions I'll be able to make.  I also have no idea how much money I'll be able to earn while doing what I do.

It's a bit intimidating right now, of course.  We're not rich, and we're taking a huge risk.  I know that it's important to have faith in you and in life.  I also know that we've taken similar risks before and we've come out fine.  We're at that stage right now, though, that is difficult and intimidating, and we really do both ask your help in keeping us balanced, and not allowing the stress of the situation to overwhelm us, which it easily could do.  Our house needs to sell for a decent price, we need to be able to move in a decent amount of time and as cheaply as possible, and we need to find a new place to live in a city or town where we've never lived before.  Could you help us to stay positive and calm and upbeat while we wait for all the pieces to fall into place, please?

A reply:

Of course I can.  You already know the most important element of this whole situation, of course:  things will be fine.  One way or another, they will be fine.  They probably won't end up how you envision them, or possibly even as you want them, but they will be fine.  You know that, and I know that.  You do understand one of the most important aspects of this whole situation, and that's the tendency for people to worry, to not have faith that things will be okay.  So far, you're focusing on getting your house ready for the people who will own it next, and that's truly important.  You understand the responsibility you have to make sure that the new owners will have a nice place to live, and you're trying to live up to that responsibility.  Keep focused on that for now, and when the time does come for you to relax a bit and know that you've done all you can, then try to relax and focus on enjoying what's left of your time where you are before you move.  You'll have plenty to do while settling in to your new home in your new city or town, so take some time to see the sights around you and enjoy what's offered.

And the key word there, of course?  "Enjoy."  This is a necessarily stressful time for you both, but that doesn't mean that you can't still enjoy your days in the home you've made while you still have it.

(Another) New Beginning, Coming Right Up

Good morning, God!

Thank you for this new day of ours.  It's a new world today, and it's asking me to do something new with it, though I'm having a hard time figuring out just what that is.  I haven't written to you in several years now, and I know why--the teaching jobs that I've had here in Colorado have all been extremely difficult, forcing me to spend much more time on things like class preparation than I really should have had to spend.  The stress level has been super high, and I've been so completely wrapped up in the classes that other things have fallen by the wayside.  Add to that the two hours in the car every day this past year, and it hasn't exactly been a positive way to end my teaching career.

But end it I have--I think.  My wife and I are preparing to move back east soon, and I've quit what I hope is my last teaching job.  It's far too stressful any more, far too intense, far too everything, it seems.  I'll miss the students, of course, but that's life--one moves on.  Me staying wouldn't help them at all, I believe, so there's no real reason to continue to teach other than the income, and replacing that income is simply a risk that I'll have to take.

So I find myself now in an interesting situation--no job, plans to move, not a whole lot of money, but enough for us to last a while.  It's kind of nice knowing that I'm not going to have to be creating class plans out of thin air this coming year, and my sincere hope is that I'm going to be able to do more writing and do more of the things that I love doing, like hiking and biking and going for long walks.  Of course, we need to leave Craig first, and that won't be possible until our house sells.  Two sales have fallen through already, so that's starting to get a bit stressful itself.

In any case, thanks for this new day.  I hope to make it a very special one any way that I can.

A reply:

You're welcome for the day, as always.  I'm glad that you have the perspective that each new day holds the same promises for you, gives you the same opportunities to make it something special.  As long as you do your best to make it such a day, then such a day it shall be.

Your risks are very real.  It can be agonizing to wait around for something like a house selling, but so many things have to fall into place that it's very difficult for such a thing to happen quickly.  You have neighbors that you want to be happy with the new neighbors who take your house; you're going to be in town even after the closing, and many other factors will contribute to the final sale.  An August first closing would have been very difficult for both of you, so it didn't happen.  That only makes sense.  So please be patient, and have faith that things will turn out as they're supposed to turn out.

Yes, you do have an opportunity now to explore aspects of who you are that you haven't explored in quite a long while.  I would just say that you must explore them kindly, without judging yourself harshly on the results.  Look for effective and creative ways to express yourself, and look for effective and creative ways to help others, and you'll always be on the right track.

Risk is risk, and it's definitely an important part of life.  You've taken many more risks in your lifetime than most people ever will, and you've always landed on your feet.  So keep it up.  It may look difficult and it may be daunting, but the risks in your life will be what you look back on fondly, once the results of those risks become clear to you.

Enjoy your day today while you make it a very special one.