After going through my search, I have great empathy for those in a similar plight. In this economy, the odds are stacked against you and everything reminds you of this time and time again. I had three things in my favor, three things that kept me sane.
- I had the steadfast support of family and friends, anchored by my ever-loving, always-understanding wife. I cannot begin to tell you what a salve this support is to a weary soul, one suffering from the thousand little cuts that constantly hearing "no" inflicts. Thank you.
- I had planned for this experience financially. While I hadn't expected my joblessness to last as long as it did, my foresight allowed me to sleep at night in a way that I know many others cannot. Years of financial planning and prudent stewardship kept my wife and I safe and whole in terms of our finances. Combine this planning with our normal, low-key way of living and our time of hardship was mostly anything-but. I thank my parents for instilling this discipline in me.
- Finally, I was able to remain objective about my circumstances. I knew the statistics that the media trumpeted day-after-day and, while they were certainly daunting at times, I understood that this was a mountain that I was facing. More importantly, I understood that it was a mountain not of my own making. This knowledge allowed me to never hear "no" as an indictment of who and what I am. And I can tell you, the tug of human nature is for... no, no, no, No, No, No, NO, NO, NO!... to do just that. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. It really is true in a job hunt.
I start work on Monday and I'm looking forward to it. I have hope that the job will prove interesting and I believe the company to be a good one, both in product and in corporate citizenship. We shall see. Regardless, I will be financially productive again through work. That is most welcome.
8 April 2010
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