Getting to the other side

The Microsoft Teams messages and emails started coming in early in the morning. First one and then another. I wasn’t even sitting down yet at my desk and my in-box was overflowing. Everyone had questions and, unfortunately, there weren’t a lot of answers.

When we finally got the news, it wasn’t good. My employer, a firm focused on IT software, had made the decision to cut more than 300 employees. For the second time in five years, I was faced with a layoff. It’s a strange feeling to go to work one morning, thinking about all that you want to accomplish, and then get sent home the next as if everything has disappeared into thin air. Yes, strange indeed.

That was in March.

A new horizon

I’ve since started a new job and feel positive about my future. Going through this process, however, I found myself thinking a lot about old soldiers who come together at reunions and reminisce on the good old days and the hardships they encountered. I’m not there yet, but I suspect that I’ll get there eventually.

Right now, I’m just annoyed that the company leadership, mainly old men with crusty degrees from some of the finest universities in the world, had little foresight, failed to have a plan for controlled hiring, and cared more about short-term profits than their own people. In time, I’m sure I’ll be able to laugh and be grateful that my wife and I were positioned well to handle this challenge.

In time, just not today.

Joy in overcoming

With that in mind, I’ve been thinking a lot about the challenges we face in everyday life and how they start out as obstacles, but overtime, we work through them and they become memories dear to us. In my story, Collecting Seashells, on The Heart of the Matter, I write about two health struggles that my family encountered many years ago and how I look back on those struggles now with, er, well, joy and happiness.

They’re scars that have become over time smoothened and close to my heart. Check out my story and let me know if you can relate to my experiences. I’d love to know what you think.

Related Story:

Collecting Seashells

On The Heart of the Matter

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29 thoughts on “Getting to the other side”

  1. This so resonated with me this morning. While every day between me and past hardships helps me get a clearer, more healing big-picture perspective, that awareness is often slight balm in the earlier days than the latter ones. Still, better slight balm than none, and absolutely delightful to be open–through it all–to the idea that the hard moments can soften our hearts or make us kinder in other important ways.

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    1. Well said Deborah. I know that the many of the challenges that I’ve faced have made me kinder and even more empathic to others going through the same challenges. I don’t know if the pain lessens, I just think we’re better able to carry onward with it. I compare it to lifting a large piece of furniture and rearranging the weight so that it’s more even — it’s still heavy, but you have a better grip and can make it up the stairs. For what it’s worth.

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  2. In my 81 years of living, I’ve discovered that everything in life is part of God’s amazing plan. He has it all planned out for us. The doors that closed for us in our lives have always opened new ones. We hurt when the time is at hand, but He carries us through those difficult moments and leads us to something so much better. I appreciate your wisdom and enjoy your writing style.

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    1. I had similar thoughts about one door closing and another opening. Some of the worst experiences of my life have paved the path for precisely what I needed next. It’s often just a matter of having faith that the “bad” times will pass, and trusting that something better lies ahead if we can just hang on a little bit longer.

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    2. Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you like my storytelling. Yes, when a door closes, I always believe another one opens. My problem is that I’m not always patient enough to wait for the new one to open up. I want to give God’s clock a little push, but unfortunately for me, that’s not the way it works. 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  4. I am sorry about the layoff and lack of empathy and planning. My brother worked for a large corporation. When they’d acquire a new company, it was his job to fire people enmasse with no warning. It was a hard job on him, especially when one middle-aged woman died of a heart attack after being fired! I look forward to reading your collecting shells post.

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    1. Oh, that had to be a tough job. I’ve written for execs in the past, giving them talking points, I wouldn’t want that job . . . your severance is on the way, and remember to hand in your security badge on your way out of the building. Oh, that would be hard. Yes, I went through another layoff five years ago, so I was definitely more prepared this time, but you’re never really ready. But, I’m looking forward to a new adventure.

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  5. It’s so widespread just now. The world is a very insecure and uncertain place. Organisations and their leadership really need to think about how they handle situations and the people involved … or as you say, it’ll come back to bite them

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      1. Agreed. We had more redundancies at work before the summer, but I was one of the lucky ones. I still have a job, and I didn’t have to go through a recruitment process to keep it

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      2. Yes, good for you Brenda! Hopefully, those redundancies are in the past. And I would be upset too if I had to go through a recruitment process again for a job I already have. I’ve had friends who’ve had to do that and I know it’s not a fun experience. Ugh.

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  6. The layoff process is traumatizing and I can understand why you’re not ready to commiserate with your old soldiers yet. I do like how you are able to rise above it and move on. Congrats on your new start.

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  7. I have, more than thrice, gotten to work expecting my day to go a whole ‘nother way… Only time I ever had any desire to commiserate with former co-workers was when we ALL lost our job because the head office moved to Toronto. Yay Bill 101 (curse, cuss, swear). There are still a few with whom I exchange texts and occasional visits. Threee have since passed away (that I know of) and some have retired. Luckily, the longest I was ever at a place was a tad over 7 years. Not like those who had over 20 years under their belt – for them, I felt remorse. For me? Next!

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      3. As am I, technically.
        I will so quit. And should I end up doing some kind of part-time gig (on my own terms), great. If not, greater. I’ve many things to occupy myself!

        Liked by 1 person

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