Another Resume?

Ugh.  Reduction in Force.  Those are three scary words.  I was essentially kicked in the gut by those three words earlier this afternoon.  There's some advice floating around:  "If you have five years or less in this district, you may want to work on your resumes, just in case."  As of right now, I am pretty sure that there is a big fat zero next to my name for years of experience.  I left five years behind me in my other district.  I knew I would start out as a low-man on the totem pole, but it was a risk I was willing to take.  It's kind of a bummer that my experience doesn't mean a thing.  My test scores don't mean a thing.  The leadership positions I have been in mean nothing.  I am a zero.  That's basically what it amounts to, and so I'm throwing myself a pity party, and you're invited!

Here's the deal.  I LOVE my old district, and I ADORE the people in it.  I made a move to balance out my life more, to be closer to home, and to work where I could send my future mini-Nickersons.  I am not a rolling stone.  I am... a tree.  I like to dig up nice deep roots and stay a while.  Truth be told, I am a pretty happy tree. This brings back memories of Rob Ross, but in all seriousness,  I like where I've been planted.  I'm really happy in my school with my teammates.  I really don't want to be uprooted.  At all. 

Right now, as I type this, I am a teacher in turmoil.  {Dramatic, eh?}  Seriously though, I type this to save my husband a whole lot of hysterics when he gets home.  I know you all live in my world.  My little happy tree world.  Besides, he already has a headless rabbit friend to retrieve from our yard when he gets here. I'm making an attempt to save him from my tree metaphors.  He would roll his eyes if I told him that I am like a tree swaying in the wind... teetering... falling.  Ha.  Yes, this is the theatrical side of me.  I prefer to call it poetic language, because it makes me sound intentional and profound.  Truly though, this is the neurotic side of me.  The real, insecure, worrying side of me. 

I know... money doesn't grow on trees... not even strongly rooted ones.  I know that we are all experiencing financial storms that will shake more than a few branches.  I also know that it will be okay.  I do.  No matter what happens.  I am probably completely overreacting.  I know it.  I also know that my school district will make the right decisions, whatever that may be, and that they will do what's best for the district.  I have no doubts that they will do everything they can to keep everyone they can and do what's best for children.  That's why I am a happy tree, and that's why I want to grow strong roots where I've been planted.  And so, I will trust that God will guide me through this, like he has guided me through so many other storms.  This too shall pass.