New Life Begins

Thank you to everyone who helped me celebrate the conclusion of 14 years of work as an administrator at University of Oregon.

Presentation of College of Education Officer of Administration Award

Two weeks ago my colleagues surprised me. The Dean of the College of Education, Mia Tuan (the woman with the short dark hair), interrupted a team meeting to present me with the college's 2014 Officer of Administration award. You can bet that the energy behind this came from the woman in turquoise and the one in the black sweater. These two extremely capable women are excellent writers and experts in human relations.

Side window by the front door  of my home.

A week ago, my neighbor Laurel began posting countdown numbers on the window beside my front door. Each day a new number appeared. As I began bringing things home from the office, I found a small calendar with photos of the College of Education. I cut out the photos and mounted them above her stack of posits. On Thursday night I cut the photos into the word "DONE" in preparation for my last day at UO.

Window of my office door.

Ten weeks ago friends suggested that I put a countdown outside my office door. I mounted a UO duck swimming away and showed ten weeks until the final lap. Each week I covered another week until yesterday when I moved things to the window of my office door. After delivering thank you cards to colleagues who have been part of my work community, I tackled the final tasks of my job as coordinator of the initial administrator licensure program. I could not have made it out as smoothly as I did had it not been for my friend Kathleen Richter who in two hours wiped away a series of niggling tasks such as scrubbing my name from the program website. Yesterday was also Kathleen's last day as a student employee at UO as she will graduate on June 16.

Flowers and cards from friends on my table at home.

At three o'clock yesterday afternoon, a florist delivered flowers from a group of my "met at the university" friends. At five o'clock, one of these bosom buddies arrived to escort me out of the office and whisk me to a favorite restaurant to join the others. Exhausted but happy, I shared in a wide-ranging conversation, unrelated to the university. The varied interests and passions of these women are what I love about them.

This morning I completed the transfer of my computer files to a site accessible to my (now) former workmates. I cleared the remaining objects, wiped the office window clean, and made some recommendations for orienting my replacement. This afternoon I took a victory walk during which I rehearsed many of the actions that I will never again "have to" perform.

A new life has begun. Thank you to all for your cards and messages of encouragement. Transitions are necessary but hard. Friends are the ballast that help you navigate the rough waters. I am grateful to have been blessed with amazingly caring friends.