Missed Retreat

Lately there have been many opportunities to spend a day taking a look beyond the daily grind and reflecting about life's direction. I wanted to attend the McGowan Symposium - right on campus - and hear Joel Green. Unfortunately, work is so demanding at the moment because of covering unfilled positions and needing to support new people that I couldn't get away.

Community of the Savior offered a day retreat with special leader. I signed up. It sounded wonderful - a chance to make up for missing the symposium. But at the last moment I was emailed by the student staff assistant who is opening the library today. He has never opened and isn't sure he knows the drill. Since the reference librarian doesn't come in until the afternoon, I cannot leave him to his own devices.

I could just come in, help him open, then head for the retreat. But this staff assistant didn't work over the summer and isn't as comfortable with the various procedures. It would not be right to abandon him with a new student worker. Sigh. Retreating will wait. Right now I need to keep our ship on an even keel as much as possible, and for a time, that means extra hours on my part. I stay.

In the end, he really didn't need me beyond the opening, which he walked through on his own with the instructions in hand. But I know he felt better having me around just in case. And that's a good thing. Besides, I did finish reading assignments for class! All in all, a good day.