And like the old soldier in that ballad, I now close
my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do
his duty as God gave him the sight to see that duty. ~ ~ Douglas MacArthur
My retirement day from local government service came and went Friday, but I don't know what Douglas MacArthur was thinking about when he addressed Congress and expressed a desire to 'just fade away.' I wonder if he ever had second thoughts about making that statement. Just not my vision.
Tim impressed on me the importance of deliberately constructing memories, for at the end that's all we have - memorable life moments with memorable people. He also taught by example how to face significant endings (he was dying) and mold to the extent possible leaving on self-determined terms. So, after I processed the word "layoff," then elected to retire from the public sector after 25 years, and consciously worked at rapidly running through the five stages of grief about the loss of my job, I knew I had to deeply consider my last week at work and how I wanted to remember it and, as importantly, how I wanted my colleagues to remember me.
