1 post tagged “unemployed”

It has been far too long since I posted, but in my defense I want to say that, while I've not been here on Vox, I have been journaling, either on another site, or in a more analog version that I keep with me. Life has not been uneventful, even if things have settled into more of a routine, with no major moves to deal with, and my career going in a steadliy upward direction. I'll try to fill in the gaps here a bit.

I'm now working at a different Allstate agency than the one I'd been employed by last December. This past August I learned that office would be closing because the agent was not renewing his contract and had been unable to sell it, though he had on three occasions thought that it had been.

When I learned this, I was sitting in the waiting area of the Nashville airport on a Sunday afternoon after a wonderful four days at one of my friend Chris Marquardt's Learning to See photography workshops that I serve as US liaison for, and to my shame I have to admit I had a meltdown, surrounded by strangers who looked on me as perhaps a bit mentally imbalanced as I sat there with racoon eyes, sobbing to myself. I worried that soon I'd be on the street, sign in hand, much like the woman I saw in my last post, as perhaps some punishment for not emptying the contents of my wallet into her outstretched hands.  Because I still needed much more training and experience, I worried at my employability, especially with comments from those in the industry about there not being any open positions and just how tight the market was. But, wonder of all wonders, my fears proved utterly unfounded, as I actually had my choice of at least three positions in a matter of weeks, and the long and short of it is that I was offered, and accepted, a job at a wonderful agency, where I am very well treated, and where I'm learning many new things.

I simply cannot account for this turn of circumstances, whether total chance, a product of my positive mental imaging, or divine intervention. Suffice it to say that I am incredibly grateful, every single day, a feeling which has only gotten stronger since our economy has gone on the terrifying rollercoaster ride it started in October of last year. I have so very much to be thankful for, and I hope to never take it for granted.

I'm a bit reluctant to even post this, as I know many who are out of work. If it's any consolation, I spent a year looking  before getting my first position in my new field over a year ago, so I think I have paid my dues here. To those of you who are looking I can only tell you not to lose hope. Some days I thought it would never get any better, but it has. Much better.

And so I want to wish all of you a good 2009, no matter what the news predicts. To ask you to value the everyday things...friends, the beauty around you, food on the table.  Take it from someone who has experienced it firsthand that these things are more important than having a healthy stock portfolio.