Silver
I have had an anniversary of
late.
Not a wedding anniversary, no.
Not a birthday.
Still, a significant date, on
the calendar, in my life.
It was, of all things, a work
anniversary.
This past month I received an
award for years of service to my library system: Twenty-five years of service.
25 years. A quarter of a
century.
Upon hearing the term
“anniversary”, it is natural to think of wedding anniversaries. There are
proper gifts to give couples once they are married. For a first year of
marriage, an anniversary gift should be made of paper. A second anniversary,
the gift would be cotton. For a twenty-fifth anniversary: silver.
It is a rarity indeed, to achieve
twenty-five years of service in one job for one company or organization. Back
when I started my career, in the economy of the time, it was a normal happening.
Long before the creation of the 24 hour online workplace, workers would start a
job, work for that company for twenty, thirty, forty years or more, and then
retire from that company with full benefits as well as a token of achievement. It
was not unusual at all to have a person reach this milestone, and beyond.
However the world has changed
drastically in twenty-five years. National economies are now a part of a global
economy. Many people switch jobs and companies over the years. A person could
potentially work for 25 companies in as many years.
It is also a rare phenomenon
for someone to reach this milestone, taking my age into consideration. I began
working while a student in college, years before graduation.
I have not yet reached 50
years of age. For someone who is not yet 50, to have 25 years of service
in at the same company, that is rare indeed. It is so rare in fact that the
word “rare” doesn’t seem sufficient.
In subsequent days after receiving
my award, friends inquired about my possibly feeling old, upon receiving this
award. "Absolutely not," I replied. "I’m looking forward to
early retirement!"
It is an unusual feeling, having
made this accomplishment.
Nothing changed from one day
to the next.
Yet, something did change. There
was a difference.
I do feel a change within.
I’ve done my job for 25 years and intrinsically know what I’m doing.
To achieve this milestone
would be like a professor being granted tenure at her university. She’s taught
classes for years, been a dedicated worker for decades, and is now being
rewarded for her efforts. It’s as if she’s now in an elite group of
professionals. She’s treated differently, and even looked at differently.
I'm not just a worker, not
just a staff member manning the desk, not just a warm body.
I'm a librarian with
twenty-five years of experience, personally fulfilling the mission of providing
materials and serving as an educational source for the community.
I wear my service to the
library, to the community, as a badge of honor.
Clad in silver.
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