Friday, June 12, 2015

A New Chapter


Today, it finally hit me...my life is about to dramatically change.  I'll still be doing what I love, working with kids and teachers, but I will be doing it with far younger students, Pre K-8, with new families, in a new setting, St. John LaLande parish.  The people there have been so welcoming and gracious and I am excited to begin, mostly.  I was able to move in a few things to my new office and as I drove home, I was struck by the finality of my last few days at OHS.  I have been there SO long that I know every nook and cranny of the school.  I can barely find the restroom at SJL.  I will SO miss the people that I've come to know and love.  They, for so many reasons, are a part of my extended family.  I rarely get to see my brothers and their families, so the OHS faculty have become my other family.  They literally served as second parents for my kids; they nourished my faith; they supported me when I needed help and cheered my successes.  They cannot be replaced and I don't intend to do so.  I plan to see them often.   It will take a bit more work to keep up with Jane, if only I could convince her to sub for me occasionally.  And, so life goes on.  It's a marvelous, wonderful journey that I'm on and I plan to enjoy every moment of my new world.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Turning Points

As I near the end of my thirty-one years at Archbishop O'Hara as a teacher and administrator, I have been thinking about turning points...those moments in life when as Robert Frost relates, "two paths diverged in a sunny woods..."  For me, there are some significant turning points....

Choosing William Woods...
Leaving my job at Camdenton to begin a Masters in geography at Mizzou....
Leaving my job as an adjunct at Mizzou to take a job as an admissions rep at Rockhurst...
Leaving that job to do graduate school at KU...
Leaving grad school to take a job at OHara....
Getting married at age 30.....
Having babies.....
Being offered a job in Liberty and turning it down when Sarah was 5 and Matthew just a baby....
Moving to Lees Summit....
Becoming the counselor when Lisa quit and Jane was in the hospital......
Moving to the administrative team.....
Deciding to get a second Masters.....
Leaving OHS....

I often wondered what would have happened had I chosen different options?   I would likely be still very much a teacher....married, perhaps....a mom I hope....ah, life is a complicated journey, filled with bends and twists...

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Lasts and Firsts

It's been a sad, mad, crazy, glad weekend. Our last child, Matthew, graduated from Rockhurst University. All of our kids had the advantage of a LaSallian education in high school and a Jesuit education in college. I always tell people....it's the best combination...Lasallians for your heart...Jesuits for your head. It was my last OHS graduation as a teacher and administrator and I'm not afraid to say that I cried more than once today. Looking back over my 31 years at OHara...it's been a life shaping, life enriching, terrific journey. I've worked with the best people anywhere...Jane, my partner and compatriot; John, my student, my colleague, my boss; Walter, an inspirational leader who always saw the big picture and Stuart who always remembered the little things; Larry, an authentic gentleman in an age that's forgotten what that means and a loyal, compassionate friend; Margaret whose passion for education is still inspiring. Melissa, the rookie who grew into a terrific teacher and represents all that is good about OHara; Mary, whose passion for OHS enriches our students; Bob, my social studies sidekick; Pete Williams, still one of the most intelligent, compassionate women that I know; Lori,the younger sister I never had; Debbie, still one of my closest friends, Denise, whose honesty and friendship never fail; Lisa,who for years has kept me organized with love and affection; George, whose LaSallian spirit is an example for all of us; Br. Chuck. Br. Richard, Br. Chris, who taught me what it means to be LaSallian; Nancy and Steve, whose dedication knows no bounds; Kathy Duggan, whose passion for life inspires me; Anne Roth, who invited me to be a part of her family and for which I am forever grateful; Terry Downs who shared not one but two jobs with me; Jerry and Cathy Meyer who taught me more about courage and faith than I could learn in a lifetime... And there are so many others...I know I've forgotten several people who touched my heart and life...and those who are gone but not forgotten..Anne Hennon, Marge Wempe, Jimmy Johnson, Marvin Tucker. And students...so many terrific kids who have grown into compassionate, faithful men and women, some with families of their own. I hope I played some small role in their learning and faith journey; they certainly taught me so many lessons...the importance of community and faith...the values of zeal, patience, persistence and determination....the joy in victory and sadness in defeat...the humility in success and the determination in failure...OHara helped me raise my kids, nurtured my soul, grounded my faith and made work truly a labor of love.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Things we might be able to live without

For no particular reason, I started thinking today about things the world could easily do without...stuff that we just don't need, stuff that adds no beauty or grace or peace to our troubled planet. So, what are these things we can live without? Tattoos for starters. Really? Who needs a tattoo? They are expensive and painful and although there are some tattoo artists who are truly gifted, wouldn't they be better serving the community if they painted church windows or billboards or almost any other thing? Aspartame. Seriously. My best friend's science students tell me it's awful stuff. It causes headaches and maybe cancer. Diet Soda drinkers...try water. Chihuahuas. I love dogs. I do. And my Maltese is the epitome of a high strung barking dog. But chihuahuas? They are ugly and mean. And, so, what else? Mosquitos. Except as food for hungry purple martins, what good are they? Maybe they're God's way of reminding us that He's in charge, but seriously. They spread disease. And are annoying. Breast implants. Really. Seriously. The world does not need them. Women are beautiful...with small boobs or large. Stop trying to fix what's not wrong. Let's let plastic surgeons worry about cleft palettes and burn victims. Cup A. Rejoice.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Random Thoughts

It's St. Patrick's Day, 2015, and my birthday is tomorrow. I cannot believe that I will be 60, provided I make it through tonight. As I have gotten older, especially these last few months, I've been thinking so much more about my parents. These memories are bittersweet, of course. I'm also on spring break and it's been a relaxing one so far. I had an interview yesterday at St. John LeLande, which I think went well and presents challenges and questions. For some reason, I was researching mixing bowls this evening and discovered a set I want to order. I love to cook but hate the mess, interestingly. But, these bowls reminded me of my mom. My current set is one that my mom bought for me and, of course, that made me miss her even more. And, it is a reminder that I have to get my shingles shot, which I promised my mom I would do when I turned 60. Of course, I would rather be shot than go to the doctor weighing so much...more work to do! I guess that's the point...life is always there, presenting us with challenges and questions. Embrace it and move forward! Here's to the next 60. :)

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Reflection on Loss

We received word today that the brother of a student was murdered in Kansas City, Kansas. Few of the details are known, but it made me think. There are at least three of our current students who have lost a loved one to violence. One of our assistant principal's nieces was murdered many years ago in a small town in Kansas and my sister-in-law was killed by her husband. That's a lot of violence and I teach in a small (300 student) Catholic high school in the midwest. What are other families and schools enduring in other areas? Violence is not confined to inner city streets or rural midwestern small towns. All of us are affected by violence. How can we reduce reliance on violence as a solution to our problems? I grew up in a gun owning household where my dad owned guns of every size and type. A part-time deputy sheriff for Miller County, he had a gun that he routinely carried when he worked that job. He was a bird hunter and had a few shotguns. My brothers grew up learning to shoot but I didn't care that much about it. My sister-in-law is a gun owner and both of my brothers have collections. So I am not anti-gun. But. I do believe that easy access to weapons has made it much easier to solve disputes with violence. And, I don't just blame easy access to guns for the rampant violence that threatens my security and santiy. Video games glorify violence as do too many of the songs and artists that our young people admire. The lack of social service support for segments of our population leads to an uptick in the number of domestic assaults. The free and open internet makes violent images instantly available. We routinely (it seems) watch henious violent acts against journalists, soldiers, and others by terrorist groups in the Mideast and elsewhere. I wish I had an easier answer. I wish it troubled more people that images of violence and stories of loss make up much of the day to day reality for hundreds and thousands of people. Simply turning off the television or turning away doesn't solve the problem. Our leaders grapple with so many tough societal issues. Solving these issues will take determination, sacrifice, commitment. We cannot leave our children their children a legacy of violence. Too much is at stake.