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Stan Piercefield's avatar

I took an early retirement from a remarkable career in IT at a major corporation. My church was expanding rapidly after doubling in size, and the pastor asked if I'd consider joining the staff as a business administrator. After seven terrific years, the board of elders decided my job could be dispersed among fewer-paid staff and save the church some money. I was sure the church would collapse within weeks of my departure. In the last month, I wrote a procedure manual on every possible topic as a safety net. It was the least I could do. I was told I didn't need to do that, but I did so anyway. I proudly presented multiple copies to my co-workers just before I left. As life happened, I moved away from the area. About two years later, the pastor pulled me aside on a visit. He told me how much they missed me, and by golly, that manual I wrote was a life-saver. While we think we're irreplaceable, there are ways we can "stick around." And just like the manual, James, your columns will "stick around." Welcome to maturity.

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Catherine's avatar

I came to the “insignificance” realization a few years ago when a friend talked about being remembered and I pointed out that most people don’t remember the names of past US Presidents - men who rose to the highest level of power in the world.

Thanks for sharing your similar realization. I haven’t seen others discuss this idea and have kept my thoughts mostly to myself, but it led me to the conclude that life is about personal happiness. I know that looks different for everyone. For my husband and me, it meant stepping away from work so we could travel. With no kids or anyone who needs financial support from us, our plan is to spend every penny and hope we do it perfectly so that the last check bounces.

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