Downsized

I was layed off from my job yesterday. I was not expecting it. My manager sent me an e-mail stating I needed to go for training at one of our local offices and when I showed up, I was told due to a reorg and budget cuts I was one of several managers being let go effective immediately, as in give me your keys, badge, passwords and someone will clean out your office for you, and yeah, it was nice working with you.

I worked in corporate America, where you are always on pins and needles. You hear about lay-offs all the time and you just pray not to be next. Unfortunately, my time came. I've been trying not to worry, and Fonzy keeps telling me there is no need to worry. We've been through hard times before and God always sees us through. I know He will provide for us, and I'm trying really hard not to worry, but it seems we finally get ahead and things are going ok and wham!

You know, as I sit and think about this whole situation, I realize I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Yeah, I really liked my job, the pay was OK, I had a lot of flexibility and the work wasn't hard. I managed administrative assistants. But I would sometimes feel like I wasn't doing anything that made a difference in people's lives. Fonzy is in school to become a teacher and he eventually wants to become a principal. He graduates next month and should be teaching come fall. Teachers make a difference. He is great with kids, and he can relate to the young minority males who are struggling in this world. He's going to be a great teacher.

When I was in college in my early twenties, I wanted to be a counselor. My friends always came to be with their problems and issues, and I would talk to them, encourage them, support them any way I could. I was good at that, and feel I still am. I never got my degree in Human Services. Years later, after being in the corporate world, I decided to go back to school and get a business degree. I went for a year and never finished. So now I have a bunch of college credits, and no degree. This is my chance to start fresh, really figure out what I want, but I have to decide quick, because we need my income. I'm thinking of taking another job in the corporate world, just to ensure we have the income we need, but do I really want that? I've often thought of working with teenage mothers(since I was one myself) or maybe battered women. I could see myself doing something like that, helping other people.....not just working in corporate America, where all they care about is the mighty dollar.

I want to make a difference....