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Losing

I recently lost an election. It was for a position in a professional organization and I felt that it was a good fit with my background. I don't know much about the candidate who won, just their short bio that was included with the ballot. Seems like a good person to have the job overall.

I've had more than my share of opportunities to serve in this organization, and so I am sad but I do not feel that I have earned much of a right to complain.

It does make me reflect on the leadership positions that I have held throughout my career. It's been more than a few, with many of them being appointments rather than elections or resulting from elections from within a small group. As an introvert I suspect that I am not good at presenting myself to a general audience for their backing, but that folk who know my record are willing to give me more responsibility.

There have been two leadership positions that I have held of some responsibility that came to me when I thought that opportunity had passed me by; they came later than I had expected. That won't be the case for this one, as the term length is four years and I intend to retire in seven years so I will not run for it again. It is really hitting home that retirement is coming soon enough that I will not be seeking more leadership roles in the years that I have left. I have enough other responsibilities to focus on so that I don't think that I will be twiddling my thumbs too much.


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