What does that mean?
In my world, it means putting the various tasks and records that encapsulated my 16-year term of employment at the Royal Alberta Museum into virtual long-term storage.
The Association of Canadian Archivists defines an archive as “…a collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people.”
There are many individuals and events that have punctuated my collective years and I am grateful for the happy memories; I’ve gathered, sorted, and preserved a number of highlight reels; however, it is time to wrap up those experiences and move on. Over time, circumstances changed and so have I. I now find myself on the threshold of a new doorway – ready to conclude my time with the Public Service and step into another kind of work that serves a wider audience and a greater personal need.
I submitted my letter of resignation to the Royal Alberta Museum on Friday morning and I am walking lighter, having shelved the heavy box that has been a big decision for many months. The love of freedom, creativity and spontaneity and of owning my own time and work has been the key to putting this experience in perspective and embracing the new possibilities that are emerging. Today I recognize that archiving this portion of my life-work is similar to curating a collection: the artifacts are held in storage indefinitely – always accessible, retrievable and entirely real.
And so, I put this neatly labeled, crafted and preserved time aside – knowing it served me well and it will always be a part of who I am. I can evoke the memories, reach out to the individuals and re-visit the site as I choose. It’s time to turn off the light, close the door and leave the ghosts to party.
MUSEUM.JWALDON.06.02.2017 – Filed and archived for future reference.
What do you need to archive, to be able to move on and make new choices? Have you re-visited your vault of memories lately; how do those experiences serve you now?
Photo Credit: Samuel Zeller