Things happen for a reason

Sometimes we don't understand the reason, though.  I worked in a particular small, rural school district for the 4 school years prior to this year.  Throughout those four years, I was either certified to become a principal or was eligible for temporary certification to become a principal.  I enjoyed working in the district, the administration was great, and I kept hoping that an elementary principal position would become open so that I could make the transition from classroom to administration without leaving the district.  When a district is run as well as this one, however, turnover is low.  In January of this year, I finally made the decision to leave my job and go to school full-time.  I kept telling myself that I probably didn't have the demeanor to be a strong disciplinarian, which a principal job obviously requires.  I kept interpreting events as "signs" that were telling me that I had made the right decision.  When you make a decision as monumental as quitting your job and changing careers, you often second guess yourself; in hindsight, it seems like I was just trying to assure myself that I had made the right decision.  In any case, I made my choice, and I'm trying to look forward with no regrets.  This should be an exciting time in my life, although it is full of transition.  I am anxious, but looking forward to the next 2 years.

This week, a principal job opened at one of the elementary schools in my former school district.  The pessimist in me wants to say something like, "this could only happen to me," or "why now?"  My ego wants the phone to ring with a job offer I could turn down.  My prevailing attitude, however, is one of calmed assurance.  If I had stayed in my old job, I probably would have either gotten the principal job or left the district for another teaching position.  Neither one of those options sounds appealing to me.  Like I said in a previous post:  "Who are we to question 'the plan'?"

Look forward!