The Kids Are Alright

As I was leaving work the other night a car honked and drove towards me, a hand waving furiously out of the passenger side window, then Marissa stuck her head out. She jumped out of the car and gave me a big hug, with Paige right behind. We stood in the parking lot and caught up for a few minutes, telling each other little snippets of our lives. It was a moment of bliss, one that I have experienced many times.

Training and teaching and mentoring have been some of the happiest times in my work life. It is bittersweet when I have to say goodbye as employees leave and fly off into the world.  When I was in grad school I had a group of RAs (resident assistants) who came to me for advice, support, and friendship. Here’s a pic of some of The Dogs Of War, who I am still in touch with today, continuing to share advice, support,and friendship (and the occasional abuse, they were good at that too). During grad school, then my positions as a hall director and assistant director of Residential Life, there were six different staffs full of wonderful souls who were in my life and taught me lessons, each one of them full of personality and angst and questions. Sometimes I miss those days.

And Barnes & Noble gave me the chance to do it again. For 24 years now (I know, right?) many youngsters have been sent out into the world to do great things after spending time with me learning the sometimes hard lessons of the working world. For some of them it was their first professional position and there are always things you never expect to learn about. Last week my sweet friend Alice who is now a licensed therapist after many years of hard work told me she is opening her own counseling practice. At one time in my life that was my dream, and my heart almost burst with love and admiration for her! And for every Alice and Marissa and Paige there is a Paul and Mike and John. My life is so rich because of each of them, And for those who ask why I am still at Barnes & Noble after so many years, that is why I do it folks!