I wasn't totally without income when I was laid off.I was working part-time and opened up my own consulting company. I had a plan. I didn't put it out there like I was supposed to and everytime I was, something would happen. I was able to secure a few contracts for months in advance. I was collecting unemployment and never skipped a beat.
I interviewed with a few companies. Even with needing a job, I refused to work at another organization working 60 hours of my good work ethics a week only to be rewarded with an off brand ham during the holidays.One company seemed too eager to hire me. I came up with an excuse for the second interview. One company wanted me to do a project, which was more intense than my capstone project for graduate school, I came with an excuse for that too. I couldn't tell you how many connections were involved from people being from Charleston to someone's mother being a Zeta I experienced. I was very confident that something would fall through.
I never heard back from these confident, knock up out the box interviews, even after sending thank notes and damn near baking a pound cake for the office. I embraced my downtime. Low and behold, I was being petty posting on Facebook one day and a friend/former coworker reached out and asked if I wanted working. What was funny is she said, she hard ever gets on Facebook, but she did that day.. I told her I wasn't working, I sent her my resume and the rest was history. I got hired in less than a month. Back in higher education, working from home PERMANENTLY!
My intentions today were to drop Kailee off to work, grab breakfast and journal on the Battery. My acid reflux was really showing her arse this morning. The heat and eating don't go too well with me. I realized that I didn't really eat that much other than a few of those air fryer Argentine shrimp I made last night after lunch yesterday. So now gas and acid reflux having a good old time.
I wanted grits and sausage. I pulled up and went with cheese grits and eggs instead. My diverted intentions were now to get a cup of coffee and snackin bacon. The drive thru was long. I pulled in a park, grabbed my purse, threw on a baseball cap and mask and scurried to beat the other two individuals who had my same thoughts. I was next in line. I saw Sister Girl from the drive thru behind the register. She was gathering the customer in front of me food. She totaled his order and received an error message. She tried all she could to get the system working, it just wouldn't. To add to her frustration, she was told the grill was down. She finally made a clutch decision to only accept cash, since the credit card machine would not work. By now the line inside was just as long as the one was outside. When she made the announcement "cash only", that cleared all except for the customer in front of me, myself and two other individuals behind me.
I placed my order and went on a whim and ask for bacon, she confirmed the grill was still down. I only ordered coffee. I accepted what was going and made do. Sister Girlnwas already frustrated and what good would that have done to be mad at something out of her control. Sister Girl then discovered that the orders weren't being transmitted to the back to be made. After another sigh of frustration, she locked the door and no one else could enter. There were people approaching the door, she told them what happened and they walked off with a plethora of negative comments.
She went back and she fixed my coffee last. She told me she was making it and I told her no problem. She asked if I wanted everything that came with it. She told me the ingredients and I frowned, she assured me it would be good. I confirmed she remembered my almond milk. As she was finishing up a customer was locking the door for her. He told a few people the lobby was closed. They walked off as another lady walked up and saw what happened. The door was locked. She remained outside the door. I finally got my coffee and she said, "I'm going to walk you out so that I can Iock the door."
The customer was waiting, Sister Girl told her that the lobby was closed. Her "Karenish" response didn't phase Sister Girl at all. I saw the preparation of a "Oh I got time today" conversation, but the customer stormed off. Sister Girl had a venting session with me for a few seconds. We laughed at the way the customer stormed off, but I assured her that inspite of, it was going to be a good day. Sister Girl told me to come back to get some bacon on her later.
I got in my truck and headed to my spot. I began to think of my life and how truly blessed I am despite of the many bumps I encountered over the course of my life. In one week, the child that I was not supposed to have. The child that I was raising wrong. The child that would call me on my desk phone at work to get help with her homework. The child that I would take to work and lock up in my office with food and books is graduating, ranked 16th out 81 students in her class with a 4.450 GPA.
In preparation for our new chapter of life the blessings have been flowing. I'm at point in my life where I am truly reaping what I sowed and so is my child.What is amazing is that, I can remember when people doubted my parenting skills. I can remember when people told me that I would be miserable because I stood true to my beliefs and fought for others. I can remember the pain of feeling used. I remember accepting "Graveyard" relationships as my grandmother would call them. You know the ones, where you always put out and they always take in. Nothing ever comes out of Graveyard, it only goes in.
It wasn't until my latter years, that I adopted reciprocity in relationships. I now treat people the same way they treat me. I give them the same energy they give me. I realized that I am not for everyone. I am a special individual who is sensitive in many realms, particularly a spiritual realm. Everyone don't deserve it. Everyone ain't gonna get it.
I have been so full and just amazed by the love and outpouring of the individuals in my live as Kailee prepares for college. To hear people say I have your back and truly have your back is a blessing. To have conversations with people and talk about things that you need to do or need, and to get a call back and it's done, is mind blowing.
I'm eating the best damn serving of eggs I had since hatches was a saw and drinking this butter pecan latte, as I serve as living witness to surviving the bumps in life. I went thru those bumps for this season. The roads were rough, but they eventually even out and it's smooth ride. There we're many bumps that I could have avoided, because the signs were there. Then there were those bumps, that I rolled over on an angle but caused damage in the long run, but I repaired those damages.
To whomever reads this, this is your encouragement.
