Fifty years ago today, at the tender age of twenty , I began working at Cornell College. Single and still living with my parents, it was a short two mile drive to campus. I was hired as a keypunch operator, although I had never in my life ever seen a keypunch machine. In fact, before she left, the woman I replaced told me they hired me because no one else would work for 2.02 an hour and someone in the Business Office put in a good word for me. Fair enough but however it came about … it was the beginning of the longest running relationship I would have (with any one or thing) over the next 44 years. The years flew by. I had seven offices, numerous bosses, dozens of co-workers who became friends, and enough purple clothing to open a thrift shop. Personally, I had two husbands, three children… (then three more) and seven grandchildren. I lived in three houses, lost both my parents, belonged to three churches and was never more than six blocks from my kids during their school years. Six
The number of people who “know me” is dwindling. Every year I say goodbye to friends and loved ones who pass away from the Earth. Of course, I continue to meet and become acquainted with new people, but they only know me as the senior citizen I have become…. not the evolution of ‘me’ (good, bad, ugly) over seven decades. Self-described, I am a God fearing, people loving, decision challenged, picture taking, deal finding, number nerd who likes to write. The thoughts in my head continually collide with one another and writing sometimes allow them to exit (at least temporarily). Today's thought: 25,263 Days. Just a few years ago, one of my sons said, “I wanted to figure out when I’d be exactly as old as Dad was when I was born.” Say what? He continues… “November 13, 2020. That’s the day.” Hmmm. I never thought about that. Little did we know, just 33 days later, his dad would succumb to COVID. That conversation came back to me this past November (2022) when on the last day o