Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Contemplation

I will be 53 in August. I'm amazed that I'm really going to be that old. I don't always feel like I'm that old but when I look back at the decades of my life, I realize that I really AM that old. It's amazing.

I have a BS degree in Computer Information Systems and a MS degree in Management. I'm content with my career choice at this time but am finding myself being drawn in a new direction, a direction that has been buried and not allowed to be in existence for over 30 years. I want to return to school - evening and online classes. I'm not sure that I will but I believe that I am headed that direction.

I don't see retirement in my future any time soon - or even within the next decade. If that is the case, then continuing my education and possibly obtaining my teaching certificate does not seem like a bad idea. There are a lot of reasons that this makes sense, just as there are a lot of reasons that people would say I'm crazy.

I am, after all, almost 53. That can go either direction. Because I'm almost 53, I could be considered too old - just stay in the profession I'm in. Because I'm almost 53, I could be encouraged to follow my dreams - dreams that started over 30 years ago and I let others dictate my dreams and my future to me.

Because I am almost 53, I should be looking towards preparing for retirement. Because I am almost 53, I am looking towards preparing for retirement. Retirement for me will probably not come before the age of 65+. Do I want to spend the next 10+ years sitting behind a computer screen, or do I want to spend it engaging the minds of others?

What to do, what to do. Time to pursue the dream and make the passion a reality or time to stay put and let the dreams of youth belong to those who have come after me. My time has passed - or has it?

2 comments:

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Decisions, decisions. I say go for it, follow your heart!

Pat said...

I read somewhere about a woman who was older and was debating the same thing - should she go back to school to get her bachelor's degree even though she was turning 60 or whatever? And the answer was - You're going to turn 60 with or without the degree, so you might as well go for it! So I say, GO FOR IT! It's never to late to change! And hey - turning 53 IS NOT OLD! I resemble that remark! LOL! Didn't you hear that 50 was the new 30?