I remember after I graduated high school saying to myself, “What now?”  Truly the title, “commencement ceremony” is so applicable when one graduates because it is not really the end of a journey of twelve years but a stepping stone to the next chapter of a young adult’s life.

I witnessed yet another wonderful commencement ceremony recently at my school and it was especially poignant for me since some of those students I have known and taught since they were in Grade Five!  So, naturally one of the first questions I asked them after the ceremony was, “What will you be doing next year?”  One boy has been accepted into two universities, another is planning on traveling, another is pursuing a Science degree, another wants to be a teacher and then there are a few who honestly do not know what they are doing and just need to take the summer to figure out what God has in store for them next.

They are young, they have their whole future ahead of them.  I remember so well the excitement and the trepidation of beginning a new journey after graduating.  I almost envy them…

However, I am facing a “What Now?” question for my future.

My contract with my school ends in the middle of June.  My husband has been home this past year due to the economic downturn here in Alberta.  We’re not “spring chickens” as they say and many have asked if we will “retire”.  What does that even mean?

My husband and I celebrated thirty-seven years of wedded bliss yesterday and much of our conversation over dinner was trying to answer the “what now?” question.

I can’t say I’m ready to retire, neither is my husband.  We know we have decisions to make in our future and we admit that we’re excited and trepidatious at the same time.

I’m not ready to face that particular rocking-chair journey in retirement yet, sitting on a front porch and wiling away the days.  (I am being facetious here…I know retirement is not all about that…I plan on being VERY active in retirement).  However, now that I am faced with that “what now?” question after I am done teaching at this school, I can’t help but feel much like some of those grade twelve graduates: I just need the summer to figure out what God has in store for me next.

So I plan to spend a lot of time praying for direction this summer.  I want to spend time immersed in the Word.  I want to lean on His strength and His wisdom and I am looking at this new stage of life as a  commencement into a new adventure with Him.

Let the journey begin!