Driving east
Anyone who lives in coastal Maine knows that driving up the coast doesn't mean driving north, it means travelling east. (Hence the term associated with further up the coast: Downeast.) And while I know this intellectually, it wasn't until this morning at dawn that I remembered this fact. Driving toward that light gave me pause for thought.
Some context. Eighteen months ago, I retired from a long career at Bowdoin College —employer, alma mater, place I love. Six months ago, at the request of the outgoing president, I returned for a short stint as the leader of the committee planning the College's inauguration of its first female president. And so it was I found myself this morning at about 6:45 driving north (actually east) to see all our hard work unfold as we held the installation ceremony for our new president.
I'd been buried in work the last few weeks and this moment at dawn was a time to savor: a record-breaking crowd was sure to attend (they did), the speakers promised to be inspiring (they were), and the food would be spectacular (lobster rolls anyone?). The weather appeared to be perfect (it was). As I drove and counted my blessings, I noticed I was driving toward the dawn. Driving east. The pinky sky quickly brightened as I made my way. The route from Portland to Brunswick is well-traveled, but I've always thought of it as driving north, going up to campus. The light reminded me of the truth.
Which brings me to my early morning epiphany: the road we're on may not be taking us in the direction we think it is. Sometimes the light that illuminates what path we're on takes a good long time to shine. Other times, it will be a flash on a crisp autumn morning. Career growth can mirror this. We take on new work that interests us and feeds us, and soon we are on a slightly different track, sometimes without realizing it. Paying attention to where we place our energy and what we make time for will help us understand our direction. I hadn't considered coming back to Bowdoin after I retired over a year ago, but when the way opened for me to lead this project, I followed. The opportunity to use a variety of skills developed over decades, to work again with colleagues I've known for as many years, and to support a historic change at a college I love proved to be one of the best professional and personal decisions I've ever made. Staying focused in the present and paying attention to opportunities that develop sometimes allow us the unexpected satisfaction of a new path discovered.
