This week will mark one year of a life changing event; I was let go from a company that I worked very hard for, and it was a huge shock for me. I considered this job a foot in the door into something I saw doing for the rest of my life; being my own boss. I was working for a small family business, locally owned. Employed are about 50 people during majority of the calendar year, during high sales volume we had extra staff to assist with the extra needs, so you could say it was a very family oriented environment. We all worked together, though we all specialized in our own specific job description, there was no task that that we could turn down because it wasn’t “our job” to do.

Some of you reading this may wonder, why is the anniversary of a job loss so important and en-grained in my thinking. The answer is simple: I pass by the business on a daily basis whenever I drive into town as it is a mile from my house. Another reason why this loss was so big for me was because I felt that it happened through a misunderstanding. I never was given the chance to defend myself and tell my side of a story that could easily have cleared up a miscommunication. It was simply one person’s word and then bam, I was out. Oh well, I will always know my actions and that I worked as hard as I could.

They say everything happens for a reason. Right after this job loss occurred, a family medical crisis was beginning and I had to take action. Because I was no longer at my job I was able to put all my focus on my family member who needed some desperate help keeping their health in check. I was there to provide transportation to medical appointments, I was there to help with moral support, I was there to help keep the household running with cooking, cleaning, whatever was needed. I was there. This is all the while trying to figure out how to keep myself happy and my next career aspiration and passion.

I truly believe in the idea that no one will ever understand what a person has gone through until they walk a day, a week, a month, a year and so on in their shoes. Life can be beautiful, and life sure as hell can be ugly. This post is more of a reflection of this past year. All the while taking care of my family member who I can say has the treatment they need, and will always have a shoulder to lean on. All of the hours I sacrificed for myself to help my family member will never be wasted. Sure, it wasn’t fun, and at times, very depressing because I felt I wasn’t doing enough, it will always be a chapter of my life that will never be forgotten. Even though I had to put my goals on a back burner to help my family member, not once can I say that I regret doing it. I feel my help will have forever have made a major impact on their health, for the better.