Friends Gossip

Today was my last day in a position of some noticeable authority at my place of Quaker worship. I'd be more specific but we are trying to maintain some level of anonymity and if I said exactly what I've been doing for the last 13 months, I think that it would be a lot easier to figure out who I am. That having been said, I am both relieved and saddened to be leaving this position. This last year has been difficult, but also rewarding.

Em and I decided this fall that I should step down at the beginning of the new year because the position requires a serious time commitment each month and also requires up to three hours of sitting in one place without moving on wooden benches while being watched by many people, and if, as we are hoping, I get pregnant in the next few months, my ability to do this will be compromised. I felt that it was better to step down at a time when someone new could be relatively easily appointed, as opposed to waiting it out and discovering the problem in the middle of a term of service. It seems more respectful of the meeting community. However, I've enjoyed getting to know the meeting better and being more involved.

In an amusing side note, the members of our meeting are such gossips. I mentioned, I thought discreetly, to one member of our meeting my reasons for not continuing in the position and within a few weeks, five different members of the meeting had either asked me if I were pregnant yet or talked about how exciting it was that Em and I would be "increasing our numbers." We have declared that we are very happy that they are all so excited, but that we will let them know as soon as we feel comfortable sharing a possible pregnancy with them.