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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

IT'S JUST A JOB

When I was 18 and in college, I had a job as a checkout girl at a grocery store.  Every now and again, I had to double as a shelf-stocker and a bag boy.  I kept thinking how awesome it would be to graduate from college and have a REAL job.

I did.  I graduated and went to work in my field.  I had the same job for years out standing in my field.  It was part of me, helped define me.  Then I got pregnant.  My firstborn son then defined me, and a job was the farthest thing from my mind.  But when he was 6 weeks old, I trudged back, now working with an entirely new purpose.  I had to support that little being.

Another child was born, a girl, and she defined me all over again, and the defiinitions began changing.  Someone started changing all the rules of life.  When she was a year old, off I went to work again, back out standing in my field. 

For 26 years I worked hard at that job.  I was proud of it.  Proud of my company, and when, after 26 years of loyal service they fired me and outsourced my department, I found myself realizing that there are much more important things in life than a job, but wow, was I ever happy to find one!  At 52 years old, I feel unhireable, really, and my ego has gotten a boost realizing that I didn't spend half my life learning for nothing. 

But today, I started another job.  Now, it is dawning on me that I have plowed through 3 jobs in 3 months, and I feels as if the next 7 years of my life are being redifined as I march on toward retirement.  I certainly am open to change, but could use a little stability while I look ahead. 

I sure do long to be a checkout girl and a bag boy again!  Short of that, I am sure looking forward to 59-1/2 now, and sitting on my patio laughing at the hummingbirds and drinking coffee instead of fighting to stay employed! 

1 comment:

Life Is A Road Trip said...

Oh, boy! I remember working at the grocery store. I remember not being able to wait to graduate high school so I could work ALL the time. Stupid kid. Sometimes we have to be forced to step outside our comfort zone, and sometimes we don't realize what it is and rush to get away from it!