A Viking Send-Off

I wrote those last 4 posts so this post would make sense.  

After all of the fallout from my days of being considered a threat to the children and staff of XYZ Elementary School for showing emotion, and knowing that I am being moved from one season of life to the next by God, I decided it might be kinda therapeutic to destroy what represents all those years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. You know, really annihilate that ridiculous childhood dream that didn't quite reach the expected conclusion. 

I visited my brother during the July 4th holiday.  And while laying in a tent, near a beach, listening to waves crashing against the shore, it hit me.  I wanted to go do it right then!  But, alas, the one item that represents my ex-teacherhood was 475 miles away. 

So, I began plotting. I want to send it up in flames, but I also want to watch it drift gently away as it disintegrates.  "It" is my permanent teaching certificate. 

Ah, yes, that highly coveted piece of cardstock.

 I started thinking about all the summers I gave up spending time with my then-young son, he was probably between the ages of 7-9, just so I would have enough hours to slide in my renewal under the wire, before the permanent certificate became obsolete.  "But it will be worth it," I told myself.  I wouldn't have to work so hard during his middle school and high school years and could really be there for him as he moved into being a teenager. 

Before that, when my son was between the ages of 2 and 4,  I busted my rear end working toward a masters degree, which at that time, one needed to have to even get a professional certificate.  (One step below the permanent one).  But I told myself "It will be worth it."  I would be able to be there for his elementary school years, help him with homework and other activities in which he might like to be involved. 

I thought about how my son was 6 months old, and I started my first real teaching job, driving almost an hour to and from school, often working until 6 pm to make things perfect for my students.  But I told myself "It will be worth it."  I had a real teaching job!  I had to be good at it. I would be able to spend summers with my son as he grew up and got a little older. 

Thank goodness he had a great dad who wasn't a teacher and wasn't afraid to change diapers and wash bottles.  

So all of this hard work got me to that permanent teaching certificate.  A symbol of accomplishment.  A piece of paper that says "You've worked your way up to the highest credential a teacher can have to prove you know what you're doing.  Now you can just go do it, we'll not trouble you to waste more time in a college classroom."  

Well, that was a long time ago.  I know things have changed. But I worked hard for it and it was mine.  And now, since it is so utterly worthless, I want to do it up right.  Send it to the great beyond in style.  

And that's how the idea was born to let my naive little kid dream go, just set it free on a floating pyre.  May be bittersweet, but what else do you do to move on? 

  I think it's gonna be awesome.