Starting a new job at my age is not without its discomforts. Perhaps if I had job-hopped during my younger years, it wouldn’t seem so strange having no idea what I’m doing.
Don’t get me wrong–I don’t miss teaching. But working in something new makes me realize how I was incredibly confident in a school setting. I never had moments of “now, how do I do this?” It was second nature. I could have made it through a teaching workday on autopilot.
The orthopedic shoe is on the other heel-spurred foot now. I’ve endured days of training videos, and they weren’t the same ones I’ve seen for the past 30 years. I’m the oldest person there. They have to be wondering how I was chosen when I’m so close to the end.
It’s humbling. Humiliation isn’t new to me. I’ve been blessed with friendly and patient coworkers who put up with my questions and errors. I suppose teaching was like this when I first started it, but those memories aren’t available for whatever reason. Just old age, I guess.
Last weekend, I saw someone older than me in a job she was still learning. I felt an instant kinship with her. Here’s to all of us on the old side of Gen-X re-entering the workforce!
