Adulthood - The First Ten Years

In June 2014, it was ten years since I graduated high school. Unfortunately, I didn’t go to my reunion. I always thought I would drop everything and go.  Part of me just wants to verify that I’m not the only one who is ten years older. Logic tells me that I’m definitely not aging alone, but I’d rather experience that for myself.

While my former classmates celebrated being ten years more accomplished, I moved across the country and went back to high school. This time, I’m a French teacher in Colonial Heights Virginia.

I’m in awe that it’s been ten years since I was a high school student. Some days I don’t feel any older or wiser than I was at 18. The rhythm of time is predictable and mundane. Despite this steady truth, I often forget that years have passed. When I remember, I feel surprised and nostalgic.  

I’ve been thinking about what I’ve done and haven’t done in the last ten years. Some things I planned and worked hard for like getting my bachelors, teaching in France, teaching in Korea, traveling around, and being an AmeriCorps volunteer.  The best things that happened were never part of my plan, and make me feel connected to a higher power, like getting married, living in Utah, and becoming a teacher.

I’m really excited about my new career. Looking from the perfectness of hindsight, I can see how every job that I’ve held has prepared me to be a high school teacher. Nothing could have prepared me for the level of “homework” I currently have though.