Missed Calls. August 25 ... from 2008 to 2015
Tomorrow will mark a year since I checked my phone on the way out of a job interview and listened to a message from the American Cancer Society. Tomorrow will also mark seven years since I stepped out of my first period classroom at Wakulla High School to check a missed call from my mother. Seven years ago, the call from my mother was a message telling me that my sister's battle with liver cancer had ended. Sara had celebrated her 31st birthday in May and her son Aidan was a few months shy of turning five.
The miles traveled since that August school morning have taken me down some winding roads. In 2009, I had an opportunity to make a professional move to teaching full time in an online graduate program for Valdosta State University. This career move opened doors for me to research and write. Over the course of the next five years, I would publish a textbook, author numerous articles and write several book chapters.
Making the move to higher education allowed me to volunteer regularly at Aidan's school in Leon County. I was able to mentor a little girl at his elementary school for four years. One year I served as PTA president.
Two years ago I began the process to make another career change. The person with the vision for my program had been killed by a heart attack shortly after I was hired and the drive to sustain the program had died with him. The career trajectory promised in my hiring interview was no longer possible at that institution.
Over the next two years I would explore a number of career options. I was flown across the country to interview for a Senior Vice President gig at a research foundation. For a few months, I led a statewide program focused on civic education and voter registration. My interviews took me to college campuses, state agencies, and a few intriguing non profits and non - governmental organizations.
On that August morning last year, I had just completed an interview that would have led to a job managing a small division in a state agency. While the job sounded interesting, the missed call on my phone held more promise.
After I returned the call, I called my husband to ask for his thoughts. His response to me? "It's August 25th."
August 25th - I had been marking that date since 2008. I had been an American Cancer Society volunteer for years with Relay For Life. Cancer has taken way too many members of my family. I was committed to working for a cure long before that date but August 25, 2008 upped the stakes for me. Thirty one year old mothers with four year old sons are not supposed to lose their fight with liver cancer.
On August 25, I accepted the offer from the American Cancer Society. September 10 will officially mark one year on the job. In my role, I am working every day to help more moms have more birthdays with their children.
Photo: My mother Lyn is holding her grandson Aidan. Aidan is looking over my mother's shoulder at his mother, my sister Sara. The photo was taken at my bridal shower in 2004 at the Brokaw-McDougal House in Tallahassee.
The miles traveled since that August school morning have taken me down some winding roads. In 2009, I had an opportunity to make a professional move to teaching full time in an online graduate program for Valdosta State University. This career move opened doors for me to research and write. Over the course of the next five years, I would publish a textbook, author numerous articles and write several book chapters.
Making the move to higher education allowed me to volunteer regularly at Aidan's school in Leon County. I was able to mentor a little girl at his elementary school for four years. One year I served as PTA president.
Two years ago I began the process to make another career change. The person with the vision for my program had been killed by a heart attack shortly after I was hired and the drive to sustain the program had died with him. The career trajectory promised in my hiring interview was no longer possible at that institution.
Over the next two years I would explore a number of career options. I was flown across the country to interview for a Senior Vice President gig at a research foundation. For a few months, I led a statewide program focused on civic education and voter registration. My interviews took me to college campuses, state agencies, and a few intriguing non profits and non - governmental organizations.
On that August morning last year, I had just completed an interview that would have led to a job managing a small division in a state agency. While the job sounded interesting, the missed call on my phone held more promise.
After I returned the call, I called my husband to ask for his thoughts. His response to me? "It's August 25th."
August 25th - I had been marking that date since 2008. I had been an American Cancer Society volunteer for years with Relay For Life. Cancer has taken way too many members of my family. I was committed to working for a cure long before that date but August 25, 2008 upped the stakes for me. Thirty one year old mothers with four year old sons are not supposed to lose their fight with liver cancer.
On August 25, I accepted the offer from the American Cancer Society. September 10 will officially mark one year on the job. In my role, I am working every day to help more moms have more birthdays with their children.
Photo: My mother Lyn is holding her grandson Aidan. Aidan is looking over my mother's shoulder at his mother, my sister Sara. The photo was taken at my bridal shower in 2004 at the Brokaw-McDougal House in Tallahassee.
Thank you for sharing this; what a winding road, huh? You serve your sister's memory in everything you do for ACS (among other things). Here's to more birthdays .....
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