Giving Back
There’s a presumption that if you had a pretty good career, and are enjoying a relatively easy retirement, that you might want to spend some of your retirement time helping others. Makes some sense to me.
There’s another idea, that having finished one career, and having some time, you might pursue some brand new interest. Also makes sense to me.
And yesterday I got an email from the UFT – about exactly this. Was I giving back, or had I found something new and exciting to do. There will be features in the New York Teacher in sections called “Giving Back” and “Second Act” – clever.
Arthur pointed out, correctly, that this email says it is from the Retired Teachers Chapter, but we are the leadership of the chapter, and had not heard about it. That doesn’t bother me so much. It’s feel good stuff. Let people talk about themselves. I don’t mind them doing something right and crediting us. Though it might have been nice to tell us.
But Arthur also pointed out that his “Second Act” has been as a journalist – writing about what is wrong with our union. Hmm. I do enjoy reading Arthur’s work, and encourage you to follow him. It really is a second act, too, since Mulgrew’s lawyers got Arthur’s old blog, his first act, shut down.
But whatever, Second Acts and Giving Back are cool things to do. Whatever, whichever, fill out that form. Do you volunteer with immigrants? Do you clean up a local park? Do you use your academic skills to help a community organization? That’s Giving Back. Write it up.
Did you open a travel agency? Are you studying massage? Became a chef? That’s a Second Act. Write it up.
And if your “Second Act” is a little different. If, unexpectedly, you have found yourself deeply involved in protecting retiree healthcare (from Adams and Mulgrew) – if you have become an organizer – if you spread the word – if you have gotten involved trying to repair our union – if you are now a Delegate for the first time – write that up too. And that’s the coolest – if your “Second Act” really is a form of “Giving Back” – shouldn’t the world know about how amazing you are?
Write it up. And please leave a comment here.
JD2718 
I spent 25 years working 60 to 90 hours a week teaching in really tough schools, teaching seriously at risk kids, trying to make the world a better place….I am now retired and taking time for me as I never had before…I find it incredibly exhausting and offensive having people constantly tell me that since I am retired I out to “give back”….I did my giving back…think carefully before telling people that it’s a good idea to be giving back….
What you do is up to you. And if somebody says different – they are wrong.
Just as you are wrong to put words in my mouth. Think more carefully before you write next time.
typo, meant “ought”
I didn’t put words in your mouth…I responded to the good idea to give back….If I misinterpreted, my apologies…
and to the use of the word “presumption”
Sorry for responding so sharply. I should have actually answered. Tired and tooth-achy are weak excuses.
The word “might” should have left everything after it as possible, rather than certain. The thrust of the post is about asking people who have actively opposed Medicare Advantage to fill in the form and claim their opposition to Mulgrew/Unity as a form of “giving back.” There’s nothing else in this post or anything else I’ve ever written that’s at all critical of retirees for not volunteering, or righteously promoting volunteering – and you’ve been reading here for several years. And finally, I neither have a second career, nor am I volunteering in any capacity (except for the union work), and nor do I plan to.
thanks….we’re both a bit touchy perhaps this evening…I from serious injury pain, and injections today…so I apologize for any sharpness from me…I perhaps knee jerked from all times I have been told I need to give back since I’m retired….numerous times from uft people…and the uft email you were talking about got my rough up….murphy always pushed for us retirees to give back…he once told me it was my obligation to give back….even after my career ending because of a student assault that left me with back damage….so, my retirement, due to that and some other stuff, has been anything but easy, and no chance for a second act and tired of the barrage of giving back (as well as “gratitude”) insistence–the ny times is replete with articles on these two things… so my apologies…overly sensitive with my pain this evening..and this was my least articulate, thoughtful, or reasoned response to something you wrote…
if the leadership of the RTC didn’t know this was going out, then unity or Mulgrew put it out. Warm fuzzies or not- it’s inappropriate and they are not allowing the elected retirees to govern!!
I agree.