“Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.”
-Harry Emerson Fosdick
Retirement from something is inevitable. From sports, from jobs, from just about anything in life. For some it means the end of something but for others it marks the beginning of a new journey, a new chapter in life. American Pastor Harry Emerson Fosdick reminds us in today’s quote to not just retire just to retire but rather that it is up to us to decide what we are retiring to.
There are many things that I think of doing when I hang up my tie as an educator, within the school setting that is. I aspire to write full time not only here but author several books around Social Emotional Learning. In my next phase I wish to take the knowledge and the skills I have acquired over the years and apply it towards other educational institutions to make some real change on topics such as SEL and equity just to name a few. I’ve never thought of being someone to just sit and go to the beach and travel just for fun. It will need to have a purpose behind it.
I look at it this way. Currently at the end of each day we retire for the night. When I do this I don’t look at things as ending but rather I’m preparing for the dawning of a new day; aka the beginning. Everything in life is based on how we perceive things. We have so much more control over our lives than we realize it. Pastor Fosdick’s quote reminds me of another saying that in life we shouldn’t look at things as we “have to” but rather that we “get to.” When we live by this each and every day it sets us up for a better tomorrow. So what is something in your life that you are looking forward to retiring to?
What does this quote mean to you and how can you apply today’s message towards developing your responsible decision making skills?
Becoming The Change 