Transitions are underway

As we officially enter summer of 2021, I am wrapping up my work contract. My last day is July 9th. It has been an interesting and rewarding five-month assignment. Much of what was unknown at the time I started the project is known now. Initially COVID vaccines were scares and individuals were desperate in their demand. Five months later, COVID vaccine supply is abundant and readily available. All of those with adequate access have had an opportunity and those that took advantage are now fully vaccinated. Efforts are underway to get to those homebound or in more remote locations, as well as those with transportation issues. It just takes a different effort and approach to reach those individuals.

It appears that I am not the only individual in my household seeking change and heading into a transition. Mary decided to go back to part-time in her current job. We had both gone from part-time to full-time at the beginning of the Pandemic. In May of last year, I opted to leave my job and to ‘practice retirement’ for a bit. Mary remained full time but is now set to transition back to part-time. Ironically, also on July 9th. At least that is/was the plan. However, other options are afloat, so her transition is now a bit unknow. We are both very excited to see what transpires.

Employment, in general, is undergoing a transition because of the pandemic. Our situations are not unique. Many are changing jobs and planning adjustments. The quest for work life balance has shifted. Over the past year we have been more intimate with our coworkers as a result of Zoom and Teams meetings. Technology has allowed us to see our work colleagues in their homes, meet their families and see them in a new light. And, with all of that happening we are missing touchpoints like coffee runs, lunch outings, happy hours, and water cooler conversations. Time will tell the impact of these changes. One outcome we are seeing is people are changing jobs. More opportunities are available, and many have become emboldened. The tide is changing. For those of us middle aged and flirting with retirement it is exciting. I intend to just take a few months off and to enjoy summer. We are eager to get out of the Texas heat and to spend time in Colorado and Montana with our family. We want to be physically near our friends and family. To embrace them. To share our sorrows for the lives lost, economic hardships, and lack of connection. We want to enjoy family get togethers and the simple moments with those we love.

As I reflect on my own transition, I was playing with a word cloud tool. It is an activity where you take a bunch of words that have some meaning and then arrange them according to frequency. I started with my resume and then slowly stripped away some career words and weighted other words that seem relevant. The result is the shared word cloud. I will be eager to see how it changes as I navigate the winding down of my career and the winding up of my retirement.