All Gone Paycheck

So there I was, minding my own business, living my life – working, reading, visiting with friends, hanging out with family – when, after years and years of working, I suddenly find myself in the rapidly swelling ranks of the unemployed! What a shocker – there’s no backup, no lovely “cushion” in the bank, I’m living paycheck to paycheck when poof - all gone paycheck.

I’d love to tell you that I spent a couple of days wallowing, picked myself right up, and found a new job – but I hate lying, so I can’t say that. I did get right on the job search, but (as my daughter says) holy my cow - has the job market ever changed!!! None of that old apply for a job, get an interview, eventually get hired, oh no, that would be too easy. These days if you don’t have a computer and the internet at home, you are seriously screwed! I tried using the computer at my daughter’s house, but if they were busy, or one of the grandkids needed the computer, or….you get the picture – it was just too easy to not go at all. So I bit the bullet, ordered internet service (oh goodie, another bill) and started off. I’ve been out of work for 6 months now, and we’re heading into the holiday season when (so I’ve been told) most companies put a hold on hiring. I do have to say I’m very, very grateful for unemployment compensation – and I just got the emergency extension so I’m “safe” for another while. It’s not that unique a position to be in, lots and lots of people are in the same boat, so – you just grit your teeth, hang on, and pray.

Which brings me to a lovely story I’d like to share with you. At one of the entrance/ exits from a local shopping center, there are a couple of homeless guys (one in a wheelchair) who sit with their little sign, hoping for a little help. They’ve been there a long time – good guys just down on their luck. I got in the habit of stopping to say hi, give them a little cash, maybe buy them a sandwich or at least some water during our lovely summers – not a big thing, but I was glad to help. They’re funny, sweet, and always say “we love talking to you, and we don’t care if you give us money or not, just please stop and say hi”. A couple of weeks ago, I had to go pay my phone bill, and on the way out of the center, I stopped to talk to the guys. Told them “sorry, I don’t have any cash today” and again they said they didn’t care, they just liked to talk to me. We started chatting about various things – the weather has finally started cooling off, people, etc., when they asked how my job hunt was going (told you we talk a lot). I was telling how tough it was getting no responses, never knowing what’s “wrong” with your resume and so on, when Steven says to me “Don’t worry, you’ll find something – and we’ll put you in our prayer circle tonight.” As I drove away (after thanking them and offering my prayers in return) I was crying, and thinking that’s why I had to pay my phone bill in cash today instead of over the phone. I was so touched and humbled that two guys who are homeless were offering prayers for me. Sure put things in perspective.

So, you lift your head, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and move on.