The Change

Noone wants (or seems to want) to talk about "the change" that occurs at around fifty.

Germaine Greer's account (which I am ploughing through at the moment) of just this phenomena makes it obvious I am not alone!

At fifty plus, are we all "washed up", children having flown the coup, husband on the verge of retirement and slowing down? (That's not a derogatory statement or question requiring an answer, it's a fact). Mind you, we're all slowing down!

So many before us and so many to come will experience the same thing - melancholy at times, loneliness at others, a new-found freedom tinged with a sense of loss.

It is a period of re-adjustment, after a hectic twenty or more years where there was hardly a minute to stop and smell the roses, where life revolved around family, and in particular children. Gone are the weekends full of sport and child-related activities - trips here, there and everywhere - always on the go. Committees, working bees etc etc.

Now that time has ended and we grapple with our emotions. So much conversation previously revolved around children and their affairs.

Being only part time - and very part time at that - in the workforce, there is little job satisfaction. Rick tells me to study and become more qualified but I'm not sure that's the answer.

I have the qualifications and the experience, but there just aren't the jobs around, especially in the country. Other than teaching, the only real jobs on offer in the vicinity are shop attendants or vineyard workers and I don't think I'd find either all that challenging.

Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the challenge of my one day a week at Salt Creek with the students. It certainly isn't the money that keeps me going back. Oh, the money is good for one day, but I would do at least one and a half day's preparation before even setting off in the car. With petrol at almost $1.50 per litre, it's hardly economical to travel 93kms, leaving at 7am and arriving home around 6pm. (I am reimbursed for less than half the travelling).

It would be good to get more involved with the community but then when a day's teaching does come up I would have to let people down. At the same time I don't sit around waiting for the phone to ring! Relief teaching, like any casual position, has its advantages, but also its disadvantages.

But they do say that women who have job satisfaction don't suffer the symptoms of "the change". It certainly is a change, but it is a massive almost unwelcome change in pace, complicated and affected by many and varied factors.

I am still involved with the school from the point of view of voluntary work - organising Community School Week in second term ( have been involved with that for around 15 years now) and seem to have retained the "position" of KESAB organiser. Jessie and I instigated the school Roadwatch area, which covers about 5km roadside from the school northwards along the highway. Now that Jessie has left I struggle to get a class form school 4 times a year to clean up the area.

Yesterday (as I do annually) I organised a group to plant 270 native coastal trees along the Maria Creek - the students , assisted by several community members, had a fantastic time and learnt a bit about tree planting at the same time. That was part of National Tree Planting Day.

Fortunately it rained a little last night. Not much but it was better than nothing.

The area is very exposed but once established the trees grow quite well, even if they do suffer "the Kingston lean"! It is open to harsh south easterly winds, salt spray and poor sandy soils.

Enough for now.