My First Two Years in Florida

I am sitting here, reflecting on my first two years in Florida. One thing I do know for certain: I am certainly busier now than before I retired. I have been volunteering for Tidewell Hospice, involved in visitation to patients and working at the local hospice house. I have also been certified as an Ombudsman by the State of Florida. In this capacity, I am responsible for inspecting and assessing nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Bradenton area, as well as acting as an advocate for residents in resolving complaints made by the residents or on their behalf.

Far and away, the busiest I have been is my involvement with the Sarasota Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers). Although I have retained my membership in Madison (WI) Monthly Meeting, I have become an integral part of the Sarasota Meeting. Starting out on the Meetinghouse Committee, I became co-clerk when the designated clerk, Lesley Jacobs, went north for the summer last year. With my involvement in this capacity, my organizational and communication skills have allowed me to become a leader in the Meeting. This role is not something which I sought out but, rather, it was something which evolved over the course of the past year. In that vein, I have now taken on the duties and responsibilities of Acting Clerk since the Clerk, Rolf Hanson, has gone on a sojourn to the Midwest and to Pendle Hill, a Quaker study center in the Philadelphia area, for the summer and fall. Being Acting Clerk is a real labor of love. I find myself being looked to by others in the Meeting as well as getting a lot of support from the others. Without the support of the others I do not know if I would be up to the task. I find myself rededicated to my spiritual base and am really enjoying the solice and exploration that such a state of mind engenders. While there has not been a Meeting for Business (on hiatus over the summer months), I find myself eagerly looking forward to such. The challenge of preparing for such a meeting and letting (making?) myself be spiritually driven to allow a sense of the meeting prevail in its decision making process is something which I really look forward to. I hope I am up to the task. But, as mentioned before, there is a lot of support for me in the Meeting, so I am not too worried about moving forward. Only time will tell...