Disaster Cometh ?

Last week was eventful and stressful. The project activity scheduled this weekend was canceled and postponed to the fall. I was at the center being the project leader met with several in a room where we traded accusations on who was at fault. I remained calm and responded with several barbs on my own. The meeting ended relatively well and continued via group chat with meeting notes plus my announcement that the event was canceled after meeting the committee. This was welcome news as everyone was relieved. I got a few likes with that post.

I continued to have workshops where the support people did a 'dry run' for the scheduled activity; clearly, they were not ready, especially with the timing where they needed to complete their work in a short window. The support folks are new, having only started this year, and did not have the same experience and knowledge that the previous group that did this activity for several years. The lack of experience, the departure of key leaders involved in the past event, and the removal of a key project role left me holding the bag. Hence, the vultures start circling my corpse.  Is a resurrection possible?

Being a Catholic with a belief in redemption, pain, and suffering, there is a journey to take which requires going through the gauntlet. I have been in this position before and always persevered to the end, like in the 5k races I joined or the mountain hikes, where I crossed the finish line not as the best in class but as a survivor who never gives up. This is not necessarily the experience management would like but often times this work is only done by the stupid idiot or the bull-headed because no one in their right mind would attempt it. Could there be a better way?

Perhaps there is a better way, but under the circumstances of having a new team, of the distractions due to everyday problems, change in the leadership structure, and the departure of key people,; this was the inevitable outcome. Canceling the project was the best action; deciding quickly to avoid a larger cost was my saving grace; making the case for redemption. But should I continue and persevere or just take the money and enjoy my retirement. Last month, I crossed a milestone of serving 3 decades in the company, and last week was awarded an early retirement package giving me an escape hatch. 

This is the situation I find myself in where I have a chance to start my retirement and work on my dreams of being a writer and enjoying life instead of working for a few more years. A new journey of starting anew. Do I have the financial resources to avoid claiming social security early? I believe so but I still have not lost the urge to fight and continue on the struggle which I do enjoy and pursue the pleasure of getting the job done and overcoming obstacles. Starting life anew in retirement may seem to be the hardest choice but perhaps the wisest at this stage of my life.