The last ten years, however, have been an era of major transitions, reversals, and global upheavals – an era of chaos, hatred, and fear. For me personally, it was a bit of a roller coaster, with such notable events as two long periods of unemployment and two new jobs, my mother’s death, and the loss of my transportation and a home of my own. Promises and trust were broken, friendships ended, and hope fell by the wayside along with my sense of freedom.
Through it all, however, I had never been alone. Friends and family made sure I didn’t end up homeless. I always had food to eat and a roof over my head – whether it was a bowl of Ramen noodles and a blanket on the floor or a nice mattress in a semi-furnished apartment of my own. Things could have been worse, and I was (and still am) very grateful that they weren’t.
But finally the winds have changed, the tides have turned. I’m hoisting my sails and charting a new course, a better one. And I’m embracing the adventure.
As we approach the next decade, I cast my eyes forward to a more prosperous era. For the first time in a very long time, the light at the end of my tunnel isn’t an oncoming train racing toward me. I’ve even heard the distant quacking of my wayward ducks, waddling home, ready to be put in a row.
What’s different? What changed?
For starters, I moved back to Washington state in September of last year. While I did leave behind some dear friends in Colorado, we have stayed in touch, although not as much as I’d like. And moving back home brought me close to family again.
An employment specialist at the Opportunity Council in Bellingham coached me through the fine art of job hunting and interviewing, helping me keep my spirits up during the process. And then I found a job.
This job has changed my life. Becoming employed and getting a steady paycheck is a relief for sure, but having a job I don’t dread going to in the morning is pure joy.
Of all the ads I had responded to and after all the interviews and even a couple offers, one job intrigued me. It wasn’t quite HR, but it fell somewhere in the realm of work I understood and had a passion for. While my skill set suited the tasks, it would give me the opportunity to learn new things and hone skills I had been wanting to sharpen.
Highly intuitive by nature, I knew this was the job for me. It was like soul mates finding each other with one glance across a crowded room – inexplicable and overwhelming. Fortunately, my interviews worked out and I got the job.
During the months leading up to my start date, I had pretty much let everything go. I wasn’t writing. I had neglected my blog, my website, and my books. World events were difficult to ignore, which didn’t instill much hope for a brighter future for me or anyone else. I was slipping into a dark place, wondering if things would ever change. But I knew things had to change. And they did.
After completing my third full month of work with an awesome leader and a great team, I’m motivated to do my best, to get up and go to work with enthusiasm, and to not let anyone down. The fire hose of learning they had turned on me in the beginning failed to drown me; it has instead encouraged my desire to keep growing. And although it felt like it at times, the information overload from all that training didn’t make my head explode.
My team amazes me and inspires me with their fierce determination. They’ve been through some interesting growth of their own over the last few years as well. You can read their story on The Commercial Banking Recruiter blog.
So what will the next decade bring?
The 20s roared a hundred years ago. Maybe in this century, the 20s will witness genuine progress that helps the people and the world upon which we all live. A lot less greed and a lot more compassion would benefit humankind on a global scale.
But until we can achieve peace in a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, I think at least my little corner of this planet will look a little brighter. I’m grateful for how things worked out for me, despite the hardships I went through to get here. Any maybe because of that, I’ll be able to pay it forward and brighten the lives of others.
When one good thing happens, more follows. That one pebble toppled off the side of a hill, hit another, which bumped into another one, setting into motion a chain reaction and bringing about the avalanche of events that led to where I am right now – but instead of bowling me over, those pebbles and stones and boulders have built a road and a solid foundation for my journey into a more positive future.
I’ll take small steps on that road and eventually I’ll be sprinting. Well, maybe not unless someone is chasing me. But I have started writing again, and that’s something. So maybe one day I’ll actually finish that series of seven books I started fourteen years ago. Who knows what else I’ll start and where that will lead.
I remain hopeful and optimistic, keeping in mind my tagline, my motto, my mantra: “Life is a journey; enjoy the ride!”
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That was so uplifting to read! Right on.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It was liberating to write it.
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