Closing Chapters

Until yesterday, I had been an employee for Glenwood Autism and Behavior Health Center for almost four years. This is the longest time span that I have ever held a job, and it has been an exceedingly rewarding experience. I have had the pleasure of working with amazing co-workers who have the mental and physical fortitude to handle extremely difficult challenges. I have served an incredible population of people who need our care. Through this service, these individuals have taught me so much about myself.

I spent my years at Glenwood mainly serving one individual. I am honored to have served him. He has been a great friend and is like a brother to me. Together we share a deep love of hiking and spending time in nature. Our mutual interest led us to explore all of the parks in the Birmingham area, and in four years, we have hiked over 1250 miles.  

It is difficult to leave someone when you cannot fully explain to them why you are leaving, when you cannot point on the map and say, “I will be here for two years.” I hope that he will transition well, and I know that I will miss our time together exploring the woods and trails. Upon our return, I plan to visit and walk with him.

On a lighter note, I found a home for my two rat snakes. This morning, Sally and I drove them both to the Anniston Museum of Natural History. George (the orange corn snake) was originally given to me by the Museum almost 10 years ago. She was an ornery juvenile at the time and forced me to wear cloth gloves when I handled her for almost 6 months. Eventually, she grew tamer and has been a great pet. When I was a teenager, she was a regular part of my Halloween costume.

Scott (the grey/yellow hybrid rat snake) was also given to me by the Museum. When I first got him, he was the size of a pencil, but now he is almost six feet long. I once impersonated Steve Erwin at a UAB band Halloween contest and pulled him out of a satchel. It was a rather crowded environment and scared a great deal of people… I regret nothing.

It is a weird and nostalgic feeling to quit my job. It is a unique experience to slowly close chapters of my life with the intention of opening a new exciting one. 

~Caleb