A Job for Life

I got the job right after school with no experience to speak of and no interviews. I was essentially thrown into the position with no training whatsoever. But I was very lucky to have a great partner, the best, and together despite a few bumps in the road, we’ve had the most amazing and awe-inspiring ride raising a family. It seems like only yesterday that we were reading “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and now our children are ready to leave the nest and fly away. Parenting is by far the most challenging and rewarding job I’ve ever had. As my children head into the world, I know that while I thought my job was to help them grow, I’ve been growing by leaps and bounds right along with them.

We are sending them off knowing they have the skills to thrive in the world and a thirst for learning. Education encourages imagination, creativity, and open-mindedness. It is also a path to greater opportunities and better jobs. To quote Derek Bok, former president of Harvard University, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” And we hope that as they pursue higher education and big dreams they will find happiness and fulfillment.

We are letting them go with our blessing to make their own choices. They have strong roots and a strong sense of self. Our gift to them is wings without conditions. We trust that with time they will soar high flying with courage, confidence and grace. It’s a wonderful thing to see them follow their heart and spread their wings. My heart is a little bit broken yet whole swelling with joy and pride.

And for some reason I find myself thinking about an old story about a father who was worried that his son was too optimistic, so in an attempt to teach him the dangers of having high expectations and getting disappointed and hurt, he gave him a pile of horse manure for Christmas. To his surprise, the boy squealing with joy started looking for a pony.

And as my children are leaving home, my wish for them is that they continue to live their life with a sense of gratitude and optimism believing that there must be a pony in there somewhere.

I have been fortunate to have had several careers, and I am most proud of and most grateful for this job of a lifetime. And despite the many challenges inherent in the job, there’s nothing I would trade for this amazing journey. I am grateful to my children for teaching me about love and life. I truly believe that motherhood has made me a better person in both my personal and professional life. My children are my agents of change and my biggest motivation. They inspire me to put in my all and do my very best in everything that I do. It’s funny how my parenting job worked out. I’ve gained new insights as I tried to offer wisdom, encouragement, and support. I’ve learned to see the world with an open mind and embrace it with an open heart; to always see the best in people, to be grateful for all that I have, and to celebrate every achievement no matter how small. I am not perfect, and throughout the journey there were times that my performance as a parent was less than stellar, but I still feel it’s my most important role in a job for life and my most significant achievement.