Thrown Off The “Merry-Go-Round”…

I have worked in Corporate America all of my adult life. Having just crossed over the “50” age-threshold, I recall my first “real” corporate job during my senior year of college.

(Note to all college students:  Although unpopular, this proved to be a very smart move on my part. I was able to include real-life, work experience on my resume when I graduated.)

If my math is accurate, that is 29 years of corporate work experience. I felt as though I had mastered it all…navigating the corporate culture; office politics; subtle & overt racism and sexism; denied well-deserved & earned promotions and raises; office gossip; “CYA” mentality; avoiding being the “fall guy;” reading company trends; avoiding & succumbing to lay-offs; work practices & mandates that conflicted with my faith….all of it.

And then, an unexpected, debilitating health diagnosis and a job lay-off threw all of that out of the window. I felt as though I was riding on a merry-go-round and someone abruptly stopped it and sent me catapulting to the ground. You initially lie there…dazed and confused. What just happened? None of my years of training and corporate loyalty had prepared me for this.

But guess what?  My deep-rooted faith did.

The Bible guided me:

Romans 12:2 (NKJV): And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV): Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Philippians 4:13(NKJV): I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV): 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

You manage to get on your feet to find that the merry-go-round  has resumed…without you. Did it actually ever stop?  You realize that all of these years… you thought you were indispensable to the company or organization, that your input was valuable to their survival and success… were not true. And now…you see that you can be so easily dismissed and replaced, without a second thought.

It seems harsh…maybe it is. But that is reality. “It Is What It Is…”

My friend and I used to say to each other: “And there it is…And there you have it…And now you know…”

Once you can understand this…you will NOT put off those vacations, family reunions or children events. You never get these back. No amount of money or awards or “atta-boys” can ever replace them.

When you are faced with your own mortality, the world looks different.

Now…don’t get me wrong…the almost 30 years of business acumen have not gone away. You just learn that there are other rides in life other than merry-go-rounds. There are roller coasters, bumper cars, chair lifts, water rides…tons of other experiences that you were never aware of…that you never took the time to try.

If I had not been “thrown off” of my 30-year merry-go-round  by my health challenges and job lay-off, I would have never embraced my love of writing and published a book!

The moral of the story: Life is so short. Get off the “merry-go-round,” embrace new experiences and enjoy your life.