I haven’t written since last September. The time since then
to now was not good. Things that happened at work made me miserable, which
caused me to retire earlier that I planned. I couldn’t write or read anything
of note. Thus no blog posts. I was
going to work until 2021, way over 65
years old. My misery at work got me to take action and retire now. It’s a
good thing, better than I imagined. Two years ahead of what I planned, I now
own and live in a house overlooking a valley and mountains, I can see stars at
night, and hear crickets. One morning when I opened the curtains a fawn was
outside my window. I’m not working, having to be monitored and critiqued about
everything I said and did. Being treated that way causes a free spirit to
suffer. I toughed it out and here I am.
Yesterday was a retirement party at work, my last day. It
was also an event for my friend Paul, also retiring. We’ve know each other for
years, and I’m glad he too is free to pursue his dream. It was an emotional
event, testimonies about both of us and how we had such a good and memorable impact
on people. Given that, I am happy to leave. UPS was a mostly miserable place to
work; many unhappy people there because of it.
The first Sunday in August I also left my church, First
Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Las Vegas. That was also emotional, and
more deeply so since it is a place and people I love. A place I was accepted
and helped and appreciated. I learned and taught guided and was guided. It is sadness for me to leave.
All of which lead me to thinking of departures past. The
first departure was from high school…bittersweet. Athletic glory days and some
academic success. That summer I ended up at the Bright Angel Lodge at the Grand
Canyon busing tables. Tips got me enough to get me into Northern Arizona University
(plus a hundred bucks from Dad).
I completed my freshman year, carrying 17 hours and a full
time job at a restaurant. I knew I couldn’t do three more years of that, so I
joined the Army and they gave me a Southeast Asia vacation, all expenses paid.
Unlimited bullets and beer. Quite a formative experience for a twenty year old.
That was a happy departure. Out of the Army and out of Vietnam February 10th
1971. That was unbounded joy. From there back to college on the GI Bill and a
part time job in the university library.
Departure from college was painful. I loved the academic
life, the scholarship, reading, friends, discussions, and of course the
parties. Met and lived with the love of my life. I was working in an alcoholism
center too. All at once, I graduated (I got a letter from the university
telling me I was done, time to go), broke up with my girlfriend that major
league broke my heart, and the center where I worked lost its funding. I had a
breakdown. Everything was gone at the same time. That was the most painful
departure ever.
I ended up in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and for the next couple
years worked as a roustabout in the oil patch. Worked on a rig, took off for a
few months until I ran out of money and found another rig. I wasn’t invested in
that work, so departure was an emotionless passing through kind of event.
I wanted to travel the world some more, so joined the Navy.
Not a good experience. Couldn’t stand it, but I was stuck. I did get to visit
some great places and had some good friends. That was a happy departure. I
remember standing on the quarterdeck, requesting permission to go ashore the
final time, and when I started down the brow, a bunch of guys on the flight
deck threw their hats in the air and started cheering and yelling out my name “Dex”. The Captain and XO were on the quarter deck
scowling at me. I wasn’t too popular with the brass. Like I said, it was a good
departure.
My job after that was a good departure, glad to get out of
there. Conflicts with management, a lifelong issue.
Then the move to Las Vegas and twenty years as UPS. Made a
few friends there, and met some super smart people. And twenty years at Church,
lots of super smart and talented people. This last has a hard departure.
Each of these are a stage of life. I first became aware of
these stages reading a book by Erik Erikson about Gandhi. I was twenty something.
To get an idea of how long ago that was, tuition for college was $163 per semester,
for all classes. I carried 17 credits, $163.
In youth, the first stage, I learned music, how to play an
instrument, how to be a winning jock, how to read with discernment, and study.
In the second stage of young adult, I grew in combat and weapons knowledge, scholarship,
working outdoors doing manly labor, traveling. In most maturing paths, this
part of life is learning a skill for the third stage. That stage usually one
meets a person that becomes a spouse, an occupation is maintained and hopefully
some wealth for later years to maintain the fourth stage. That stage is to get
right with God. That’s for me. Others like Freud, Jung, Hindu’s, Buddhists have
different descriptions, but it all about focusing things from and in the spiritual
realm.
Now in my fourth stage, I’m back to religion, church, the
Holy Spirit, scripture. I need to revisit Dostoevsky, Solzhenitsyn, CS Lewis, Kierkegaard,
Goethe, Pasternak, and yes Ayn Rand too. Just to name a few. These were
influential in my second stage. It’ll be interesting to see how differently I
read and experience those writings.
Lastly it’ll be interesting how I’ll influence others, what
I have to teach, share, and what more do I have to learn.