The Best, Though Scary, Thing

I mentioned yesterday that among all the changes occurring in my life, even the best one was scary. So, this is it. 

On June 14, I will leave the protestant seminary where I have been working for the past 8 years, and on June 17, I will begin working at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. The reason why it's scary is that, although I am really excited about many aspects of the job, especially the fact that it's in a Catholic parish and I can attend Mass everyday, I'm leaving a place where everyone knows me, and, I think, most everyone likes me, to go work someplace where I am almost completely unknown. The pastor has been my spiritual director for the past several months, and the Saturday morning Mass attendees will recognize me, but that's about it. I really, really like the pastor, but then, so do I really love my current boss, who was my friend for 8 years before I started working for him, and with whom I have a great working relationship.  And then, Fr. J. is the best spiritual director I have ever had, and he can't be that any more once I start working for him. Also, it's just the idea of change. I like NO change, and lately, it's lots of change.

Still, I'm really excited. It's the kind of job that I have been wanting for a long time, and I know it's a job that I am well-equipped to do. Also, the school there is staffed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, and they are always great people to be around. I have met the one person with whom I will be working the most closely, and not only does she seem to be very nice, she lives fairly close to me (unbelievable considering I live at least 25 miles from the church) and has offered to give me a ride if I ever happen to need one.

When you are young, you think that by the time you are 62, you will be settled--that life will pretty much continue to go on in the same way. I have to tell you that this has not been my experience at all. Although I had sometimes thought about changing jobs, I never really thought that in the current job market a woman my age would have the slightest chance of getting hired, and I'm pretty happy where I am now. I didn't go out and look for this job at all. It just fell into my lap.

A couple of weeks ago, during a fairly intense round of spiritual direction, there was a knock on the door of the rectory, and Father got up to answer it. When he got back, he said that it was someone coming to do the bulletin. He said, "You know I've lost my help. My assistant resigned," and I said, "You should hire me," and he chuckled and we returned to the business at hand. I mentioned it again on the way out, and told him to pray about it, and he called me the next week to tell me to email him a resume. I was selected by a committee on which he did not sit. One reason they like me was because they thought my maturity would be an asset in the job. How amazing that the one thing I thought would hinder me--and would have almost certainly hindered me anyplace else--was a selling point.

For the next two weeks, I know I will be very busy trying to get some pretty urgent things done around here, and also, hopefully, training someone to do my job. Nobody really has any idea what I do in this little office, so it's going to be a difficult transition. I'm looking forward to June 17, when for about 5 minutes, I can sit at my new desk and think, "I'm not behind in anything!"

AMDG