Gradual graduation

Graduation 2019 — I graduated from 27 years of teaching two years ago and have spent the last two years trying to understand what I did to myself and how to navigate life in a more or less free form or even formless way. I fall back on various forms often but then strike out again in new ways when I see a new path that looks interesting.

Right now some of each morning is spent on social media scrolling past friends, family, and former colleagues congratulatory postings of all the children graduating from Kindergarten or 5th grade or leaving middle school and now on to high school, many are graduating high school and now on to the rest of their lives. So much transition. So many smiles. Happy parents and relieved children.

I am ready as well. Ready to move on from resting and recovering from surgeries needed, put off too long until after I retired so as not to impact my work. Now my new knee, my debrided left ankle and left shoulder are healing well. A little more physical therapy and I will be ready; on to the rest of my life.

I have been focusing on writing more and taking more photographs. I feel I have something to say to the rest of the world with words and images. I am also interested in finding ways to connect with more people IRL (In Real Life) your know F2F (face to face) but that is a lot harder than sitting at my computer and seeing my fingers flying over the keyboard. Harder to schedule walks with others when I can just grab my camera, get up and go when it is easy for me, when my medications have worn off to where…