Re-Imagining Possibilities

Dear Friends,
Of course I have been fretting a bit about what I will do with my life after graduation. I have completed all of my masters degree except one credit hour. I could have finished in the summer, of course, but I wouldn't "walk" until May anyway. This way I can work as TA in the Intro to New Testament class one more time. I can never remember how many times I've assisted in that class, but I think this will be my sixth time.

I took the class in spring of 2004, then assisted in fall of 2004, and every fall since, plus one spring. That makes this my seventh time. Whew. I also assisted in another online class one semester. Now, yesterday the assistant dean called me on my cell and asked me to assist a new professor who needs help handling his online class this fall. So, there I was, just eating lunch with my mother, minding my own business, and I got a job. Just like that!

They are paying me $400 at the end of the semester, which will be fantastic. I already get $324 for assisting in the NT class, so I'll get an extra $700 just in time for my daughter's birthday and Christmas! Yay!

Also, since it pays at the end of the semester I don't have to worry about claiming it as income on my disability for Sept-Nov; just December.

All of my life I have just walked through open doors. I can't say I've ever really set a specific goal and worked for it. Others might say I did that with my masters degree, and perhaps I did, but not from my perspective. I just took a chance and enrolled in one class. Step by step over the course of seven years I have accidentally completed my degree.

Now my favorite dream is teaching classes on line through a community college. I'm not sure how to get a foot in the door, but here I am, picking up even more experience teaching on line. I need to figure out how to get a real job. It would be utterly cool if I could start teaching in January, after I officially graduate in December. The idea makes me excited.

I hope I can fall into the next chapter of my life as happily as I fell into this one that is passing by.
Thanks for reading. I'm glad you're here.
Mary