Memoirous

 Many of us are familiar with A. E. Houseman's infamous poem "To an Athlete Dying Young." It was eulogized in the movie  Out of Africa , when the character Karen Blixen movingly reads it over the open grave of her lover Denys Finch Hatton. I read it as a youth and--without knowing the term exactly--found it romantic in a way that doesn't fit the common concept of that word, but more like the emotive aspect: tragic, ironic, and about destiny. Houseman was infatuated with the idea of life cut short, of youth in all its glory, fossilized, forever caught in the folds of time. To an Athlete Dying Young By  A. E. Housman The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. Today, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town. Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay, And early...

I was super excited and also a bit anxious. Let me just say that reading through the employee handbook online was inspiring. Playmakers and my own philosophy of wellness are a perfect fit. That being said, the first training module following a fitter on the sales floor was challenging. The customer had always had trouble with collapsed arches and her ankle literally rolled when she walked. Yet the person training me was able to find the right shoe. I was merely an observer but clapped when the woman said her shoes felt great! I’ve only been there one day and can already see that there is going to be a huge learning curve. The nice thing is that my job is a quick walk from my house. I can be there and home in five minutes. The work/home balance is what I’m looking forward to as well as the camaraderie from staff in a supportive environment.