The Ides of March

 No, today is not the ides of march, that is tomorrow. Today is actually Pi day which is cool all on its own.  

But the middle of March is relevant to me in many ways.  

In late February 1992, I walked into my supervisor’s office and said - ‘Beware the Ides of March’ - he had no clue what I was referring to (not even the Shakespeare reference) - so my next sentence was ‘the middle of March is my last day, I quit”.  

I was in a job that was never my idea, the technology was changing so fast that I would have had to go back to school to keep up and stay relevant.  While I was good at what I did, I actually found the work tedious and simple.  Telecom/data management/systems engineering was not my forte.

In early 1992 I made the decision to jump out of a career field I had no interest in to completely change my life.  I had spent the past 2 years applying to medical schools. The first year was of denials, I think they thought I was a housewife that suddenly woke up one day and said “I think I’ll go to med school”.  

The reality was I wanted to be a doctor since a very young age, but life got in the way.  On Friday the 13th 1992 I walked out of the office for the last time.  I had not gotten any acceptances at that time to med school but I figured if I didn’t get in, I would find something else to do. I had to get out of that military support machine. I had faith that the universe would have my back - after all it had so far. 

Monday March 16 I got my first acceptance letter.  Over the next several weeks I got 4 more letters of acceptance.  July 1 1992 I started med school - flipping my old life on its head. 

So March 13-15 is my freedom anniversary.  I hold it dear to my heart. Thirty-four years later I’m at the tail end of my career which has been amazing.  The last 13+ years working with veterans helps me atone for the years I spent in a world that only was designed to harm people. 

March 13 to me begins the Ides of March.  It also is the day one of the most significant persons in my life was born, one who represented possibilities, life barriers, and free will. I learned a lot from them. Hence the happy birthday comment of the prior journal. 

March 13 reminds me that one can change their life with a lot of faith, belief in one’s self and keep an eye out for options.  When I left work that day I was only committed to possibilities - I had nothing hard and fast to hold on to.  There were some who thought I was nuts to leave, what was in their minds, a stable job. The reality of it was, the field was outgrowing me and it was time to jump.   So in addition to reflecting on possibilities, it is also a time to reflect on what no longer serves my best interests.  

March 14 is Pi Day, which suits my geekiness.  It’s whimsical in a way - being representative of an infinite solution.  Life goes on it does not end. 

March 15 being the TRUE Ides of March is about endings. Julius Caesar found that out in 44 B.C.  For Julius, it was an end, but who knows what happened next to his soul?  There are only transitions, not true endings.  A different chapter begins. 

Right now I am continuing my career path, I have a few good years left in me. But when I decide to retire, I probably will choose the middle of March…