Identity

In the summer of 1990, I was working for Kelly Girls when I received a call to come interview for a job at Mid-Sized University.  I had wanted to work for Mid-Sized University for some time, as I knew they had excellent benefits, including generous sick and vacation time on top of the best paid holiday schedule in town.  I had had a couple of previous interviews at M-SU, but nothing had panned out as of yet.  I had a good feeling about this one though.

This one was in a department located right above where my beloved Aunt Linda worked.  An entry level position in Computer Science - and my last two jobs were computer oriented (ok - data entry, but still).  My interview went perfectly, and sure enough - I was offered the job.  So in the fall of 1990, I started a job that would define the woman I would become.

When I started that job, I was still a girl practically.  Engaged, but not married, no children and still trying to find out who I really was.  Over the years I married the Hubs, had two children, and was promoted several times.  In the process I grew up.  I became a woman who had confidence in her abilities to handle any job given to her, of any situation, to take on new tasks and experience without freaking out.  I had lucked out you see.  I found my place.  My niche.

Not many people find the job they are meant to have when they are 25.  I got to crunch numbers, to work with students, to write a newsletter, to do layout and play with graphics, to work with webpages, and to work with alumni.  When I started, the department had 10 faculty, and maybe 30 grad students.  As I leave it's grown to 15 or so faculty, 150 grad students, and instead of two office staff, there are four.  I was so very very lucky to have been hired into a department that took care of me as well as I took care of it.  They have been my second family.

Today, I turned in my resignation.  It became increasingly obvious over the last few weeks that I am unable to perform my job any longer.  I had resisted this decision for months - how do I leave the job that has helped define who I am?  How can I walk away from the department who made sure I had a place to return to after the birth of my children, after recovering from cancer - hell - even after I tried to leave them for a couple of years?

I had to do it.  They deserve someone who can do the job fully - and that is not me any more.  I will work part time this week, then they will start a  new chapter without me.  It is breaking my heart, but I know I need to focus more on me and less on them.

Now how to I figure out how to be Mysti without them?