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of years. However, it would require a lot of travel between

their field offices.

“How much would I be gone?” I inquired.

“You will only end up being home every other

weekend,” was the reply.

The way he said it, he implied that being gone from

home was a perk of the job. He seemed to relish traveling

and meeting important people in industry and government.

Though that had some allure to it, the thought of being

away from my family was not appealing to me, especially

since I knew how critical those years would be for my

daughter.

I had chosen a life of teaching so I could spend time

with my children, working in the garden, raising animals,

fishing, camping, doing theater, and many other things.

My wife and I had sought employment at a university in a

rural area for a quieter, simpler lifestyle. This wasn’t the

first time I had been offered a lucrative job in a faster

paced life, and it wouldn’t be the last.

I thanked him for his offer, but told him there was no

way I could accept. He tried to encourage me again, saying

that if I could help them reach their goals, I could retire in

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