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A good friend and former colleague was at school today. He retired in December after 33 years of teaching. As many retired teachers do, he came in to sub today. We were all amazed at how young and revitalized he seemed. This phenomenon has been noted many times in the past few years, as our oldest tier of staff has left us, gradually. It's astonishing how much better you look when you're not worrying yourself frantic over a hundred crazy teenagers who seem bent on self-destruction. Today I was thinking of the ones who didn't make it to retirement. I was remembering Elaine G., with her beatific smile, who had a heart attack in the foyer one morning. As she was being placed in the ambulance, her main worry was getting someone to cover her bus duty. She died on the way to the hospital. She was in her early fifties. I was thinking about Tom J., who came in and counseled kids in Guidance, dragging his oxygen tank. He died of asbetosis (from his Navy years) a few weeks after he finally had to quit working. I still miss gentle, silly, musical Tom C., who had a heart attack in his mid-thirties. He was prematurely gray, like me. At his funeral, his students were inconsolable. I will miss dear, salty,loving Doreen, whose cancer has invaded her entire body. Until last week, she was still at school, walker and all. I can't imagine my days without her. Why does a profession as vital as teaching suck the life out of so many big-hearted, strong-willed folks? I often say the kids give as much to us as we do to them, but I'm not so sure of that anymore. |
 
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Making it to Retirement