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'If I'm not a teacher...
For 23 years or so I knew myself through the roles I filled: teacher, mother, wife, homemaker. As a lifelong Christian Scientist, however, I had always found great fulfillment in identifying myself spiritually. Three years ago I had an experience that was a turning point in viewing myself from this deeper basis.
Partway into the school year, when our two daughters were still in college, I decided to take advantage of an early teacher retirement package that my school district was offering. But I was surprised to learn that my summer birthday would force me to leave at the end of that same school year in June, rather than the following June, which was when I had planned to retire.
About the author
Toni Kyriakakis lives in Blue Point, New York.

December 5, 2005 issue
View Issue-
LETTERS
with contributions from WENDY P. WACHTEL, CAROL CUMMINGS, CHARLES LINDAHL, MEG COWAN
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'Who's that?'
KIM SHIPPEY, SENIOR WRITER
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
with contributions from Roger Campbell, Virginia Norton, Ramit Plushnick-Masti
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The Identity Divine Love Reveals
BY BARBARA COOK SPENCER
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GOD'S CHILD—that means something!
BY DAVID STEVENS
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'What does it mean to you that you're spiritual?'
with contributions from JASON MARSH, LAMEICE HARDING, MICHEL NYEMECK, PETER JACKSON, D. GRANT MCINTOSH, INEZ MAUBANE
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'If I'm not a teacher...
BY TONI KYRIAKAKIS
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a fresh start
BY STARR URBATSCH
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A TREE FALLS AND NEIGHBORS DRAW TOGETHER
PHOTO AND TEXT BY BETTY PRESS
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LIVING OUTWARD
BY JULIE FURBUSH
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PERSISTENCE, NOT DISCOURAGEMENT
Noel Fischer
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COMPASSION—WITHOUT FATIGUE
CHANNING WALKER
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PAIN AND SELF-DOUBT YIELD TO PRAYER
DON ALUSIC
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QUICK HEALING OF BROKEN PELVIC BONE
SUZANNE LOVINS