Isaiah 43:18-19: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." — Seneca
May is a month of transition, especially for educators. The school year is wrapping up; for the oldest students, there is the moving on to the next level. Retirement announcements from across the district arrive daily in our inboxes. Teachers who are staying are told about their assignments for the coming year.
I'm in the retirement group this year.
Someone asked if I was going to have a photo retrospective at my upcoming retirement party. I thought about it for a moment, but decided the effort wasn't worth the emotional return. I am not the same person I was 39 years ago when I started teaching. I am happy to celebrate a three-decade long career, and I am grateful for the experience I've gained along the way. I'm excited to see where this hard-earned knowledge will lead to next. There's more work to be done--I am ready to do a new thing!
There are those in my circles who are facing much more difficult transitions--losing spouses, losing children. Grief isn't prescriptive or linear. The heart will dwell on the past as long as it sees fit. At some point, though, there are beginnings, however bittersweet. First birthdays, holidays, gatherings in this new reality. One foot in the shadow of loss, one foot in the sunshine that springs up, unbidden. You learn to honor the past without dwelling in it.
Today, I'm going to choose to be happy and grateful for the new things on my horizon.
What is ending for you, and what new beginnings does it bring?
What do you wish would end, and what do you wish would come next in your journey?
Thanks for hosting, Chris! Here's my post: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2026/05/sjt-may-beginnings-and-endings.html
ReplyDelete“The heart will dwell on the past as long as it sees fit”. This thought really resonated with me, especially right now. Been missing my classroom, my students, and my colleagues a lot lately-likely more because of all the “Teacher Appreciation “ announcements & celebrations.
ReplyDeleteContent with my decision to leave my school on principle and to maintain my own dignity, just feeling saddened that it meant not being celebrated for my 25+ years in Education because it wasn’t an “official retirement “.
Each week is a little different. Some weeks have me really wanting to go back to a classroom to continue using my skills & knowledge. Other weeks give me quiet relief and remind me that I’ve been able to have more time for my health, home, and family.
I’m happy for you and your decision to wrap up your Teaching career in the time and way you wanted to. Hoping your next journey fills your bucket! 🙂 ❤️🙏🏼
Endings can be so bittersweet. Teaching involves so much of our hearts that I can imagine feeling much like you do, a year from now. Like you, this wasn't my preferred plan, but one that I am feeling drawn to without hesitation.
DeleteChris, thank you for hosting and providing prompts for me to address my thoughts. What I have for today is a post that deals with bereavement, loss, faith, and hope at https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2026/05/endings-and-beginnings-on-spiritual.html. May your retirement be a wonder-filled second chapter of your life. I am grateful for your paragraph on grief. I cannot thank you enough for coming back to join us and fill my thoughts with your positivity.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol, for sharing your grief journey with us. You never know when the path someone shares may be a helpful map in our own future.
DeleteHappy Retirement. That was me last May and it was more emotional than I thought it would be. It’s taken a while for me to get the hang of retirement. My post is a dual one for Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday. I am mourning my mother this first Mother’s Day without her, but also celebrating my daughters who are fabulous moms. http://reflectionsontheteche.com/2026/05/08/spiritual-journey-and-poetry-friday-mothers-and-daughters/
ReplyDeleteChris, thank you for hosting this month. Our lives seem to be one transition after another. We keep moving and evolving. When one stage of our lives ends another begins. Congratulations on your retirement. Enjoy this new chapter of your life. Bob
ReplyDeleteHere is the link to my post:
https://arjeha.wordpress.com/2026/05/08/transitions/
Congratulations on your retirement! Thanks again for hosting. :-) Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteChris, I love this post. First, happy retirement! I'm not far behind you. And, I also wonder what and where all this knowledge will take me next. What a sweet, sweet time for you. I agree that the photo spread isn't worth the emotional return. If there was a way to slip out the back door...I'd like that. I have loved being a school librarian. But, I don't want any fuss when I decide to go and a new person steps in. Happy Mother's Day! Happy Teacher Appreciation. I have not yet written to your specific prompt. However, I have written a reflective poem about gratitude for Poetry Friday.
ReplyDeletehttps://open.substack.com/pub/mitchellhubeimom/p/teacher-appreciation-week?r=1pzjjl&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Thanks for hosting this month, Chris, and heartfelt congrats on your retirement! This is a beautiful post and invitation to write. These lines are my favorite - just magnificent: "One foot in the shadow of loss, one foot in the sunshine that springs up, unbidden. You learn to honor the past without dwelling in it." Lyrical and true. It's something I do every day, as I face the "now" around which my post is built. Thank you. my friend. I'll be back later in the day to comment on others' links.
ReplyDeletehttps://litbitsandpieces.com/2026/05/07/things-old-and-new-spiritual-journey/