First Things First

I am a traveling salesman, driving to homes all day to peddle my goods. But it wasn’t always this way:

In 2008, I was three years into being a high school English teacher. I knew the job wasn’t for me. How can people do this job for 30+ years? I did it for 3 years and it was Ground Hog Day every semester. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. My love for literature and writing being not-so-slowly beaten down by teenage angst and either oppressively hovering or absentee parents.

But that was my problem, not theirs. Teenagers are teenagers and parents are...a little crazy.

Rather than change careers. I played it safe and masked my dissatisfaction with my ambition. I earned advanced certifications, fellowships, internships, and promotions.

Fast forward ten years and there I was: Mr. High School Principal.

I made it.

I had the office.

I climbed the ladder.

I had the name plate - two actually: one from my parents and one from my last boss.

I was running a school for at-risk high school children. Truly making a difference for teenagers who would have otherwise dropped out of school. Graduating more students in one year than the school had ever graduated in its history. I secured a fellowship for a degree in administration for one of my teachers. The teacher of the year for my school became the teacher of the year for the district. I recruited and increased enrollment over and above the expectations of the superintendent, securing  new positions for the following year.

So, I quit.