thanksgiving

I don’t really follow politics, but I know enough about what’s going on with the “job crisis.” I know it because I have two master’s degrees and couldn’t find a job for a year and a half. And, even now, the jobs I am working are part-time because benefits cost too much for full time employees.

During the last year I have undergone a sort of transformation, a paradigm shift if you will. It was met with some resistance by my rational side, but in the end it was the best thing I could do for my own well being.

When I was younger, I went to school. It was what I did. After college, I got a job. It was what I did. As I grew older, I began noticing the first question most people ask someone is “What do you do?”

It didn’t take me long to realize that, to an extent, our jobs define us. They consume the majority of our day. And so, for ten years I was a researcher...it was what I did...and then, it was gone.

Being unemployed for a year and a half was a struggle, but in all honesty, the emotional strain far outweighed the financial aspect of not having a job. Every time I met someone new and they asked me what I did for a living, it felt like a kick in the gut.

As time passed, I began to drift away from the mindset that work (what I did for a living) was a necessary component of what defines me. My actions, my thoughts, my beliefs are what define me, 24/7, not just from 9 to 5.

And so, during this time of giving thanks, I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude for the people in my life who have stuck by my side during one of the most difficult times in my life. Thank you for your patience, understanding and faith in me...and most importantly, thank you for not giving up on me.


“Be mindful of what you toss away, be careful of what you push away, and think hard before you walk away.”