Written by Michael Falkiner

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to,” Bilbo Baggins said.

In 2008 I had almost completed my 15th year of teaching at St. Francis Xavier’s Primary School when I said ‘yes’ to a phone call.

During my years at St Francis Xavier’s I had taught from Years 3 to 6, and watched the school grow from 220 up to 320 and held a number of coordinators’ positions.

The staff, students, the parents and community were great.

The call I received was from a previous St Francis Xavier’s principal Tony Hunter offering me a job down in his new primary school in Yarrawonga.

Tony’s wife Helen got on the phone stating that there was a job for me at the secondary college where she worked as REC.

I started my teaching career in 1988 as a secondary science teacher and had always wanted to get back into this.

I thought deeply about this offer.

At St Francis Xavier’s I was established, comfortable and enjoying what I was doing.

While I think I was ready for a change I didn’t really want to ‘go out my door’.

I took the plunge. I said ‘yes’.

I negotiated a year’s leave, packed up my house and headed south to the Murray River town of Yarrawonga.

That February Victoria burst into flame and I thought what the hell have I gotten myself into.

The school was a small town secondary college with country kids that were and are a delight to teach.

I was only there for a year in the role of science teacher but loved it and wanted to stay.

The circumstances of the job changed.

The next year they could only offer me a new role of art /drama teacher with some robotics thrown in.

I’d stepped out my door – where was I being swept off to?

With some trepidation, I said ‘yes’.

This pattern of changes and challenges continued for the next 10 years.

During this time, I said ‘yes’ to being; a year level leader, deputy principal, Religious education coordinator as well as teaching a variety of subjects across all year levels from 7 to 11. There was no knowing involved here!

Additionally, during this time, I completed a survey for RACV.

Fortunately, I said ‘yes’ to filling out this form.

Unbelievably, I won a cruise for two from Budapest to Amsterdam and was able to fulfil one of my mother’s lifelong wishes as we were both swept off on this extravagant trip.

A few years later I saw an opportunity for a study scholarship.

I thought ‘yes’.

I successfully applied and ‘keeping my feet’ I was able to study for three weeks in Rome, helping complete my Masters of Education which I had started 6 years previously.

It took a bit longer than anticipated with the leadership roles I undertook but culminated in the graduation ceremony in September of last year.

I was touched to have my mother, sister and niece also attend this occasion and share it with me.

This year I am the science coordinator and will be helping teach senior physics again saying ‘yes’ to a new challenge.

I often sit back and think what would have happened if I had said no and not stepped out my front door.

There are many wise words about paths not taken, regrets and missed opportunities.

You may feel uncomfortable, unsure and step out with some trepidation however if you “keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

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