You Had it and You Lost it, What a Shame!

Fully stocked bar, just
for my Shirley Temple.

Why is it that we appreciate things only after we have lost them? Well, it's the year 2020 and I've had to face some changes, just like the rest of the world has. One of those changes was my job of seven years. I finally reached the point that I no longer wanted to be there. I guess I reached what some may call my breaking point. I had been laid off like the rest of the staff from my department after Covid19 came to our island. But after time during the layoff period, I became at peace with the possible ending of that career.  It was weird because at first, I was shocked at the layoff news, then later I came to terms with the reality that I might not have a job, plus it was no fault of my own, so I was ok with it. Then they called me to reinstate me. And I reluctantly went back, just to realize it was not the right decision for me. An incident occurred that made me realize that I had other options and that I was in a position that I could leave this job and be okay. Not to mention that if I left at that time I could leave with severance pay, as opposed to quitting at any other time and getting absolutely nothing, but one week's past paycheck.  

So I decided to move on with my life.  I started to look for jobs online, as I was trying to embrace this new covid way of life, with the idea of working from home.  At first, I got an online volunteer gig, which really turned out to be a good thing because I am still enjoying it to this day.  And it gives me the experience I need to change careers when I'm ready.  But after a few months of looking online and a few failed almost job starts, I decided it may be better to look for work locally.  Something I wasn't excited about, but worth a try.  I looked at myself for what I currently had to offer.  I didn't want to work in an office position.  And yes I'm a university student, but I haven't finished my course yet so I did not think of applying for work in that field.  But looking back that may have been a good idea.  But I decided to go with something I knew would give me an almost instant income.  So I applied in the genre I was known for, customer service.  I applied to a food chain and two supermarkets.  I was hired by one of the supermarkets.  Now that I've given that background knowledge, why is it that we only appreciate things when we've lost them? 

The appreciating the superb
pizza oven.

So I got hired, and at this point, I had been doing this job for a month and a few days.  It's for the most part been good. A lot of unnecessary stress, but at the end of the week I get my money and it enables me to live my life the way I want to.  I really didn't appreciate how much I wanted to do well until I got a correction from a high authority.  I had done something in a way that he was not pleased with and he voiced his concern to me.  He was the most professional, but he told me and I took the criticism politely.  I went through all the grief stages but came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to let this 'cancel' me.  And I got past it.  Then eight days after making the one-month mark and the very day I was to give my personal feedback on my assessment I had been corrected again.  It had been in dealing with a woman, when she walked away after serving her I sighed "Praise God" and she thought I was saying something mean about her and she reported it.  Saying all that to say, it's weird because now I realize that I want this job more than ever, I now realize that it is a good thing.  Now I am more than willing to jump through their hoops to attain it.  The way my supervisor handled the situation was most professional.  Now I can be glad about these two situations and what they taught me about this company.  But mind you I want these two situations to be the last correction I need.  I'll let these two instances guide me without the need of any other!  But I'll keep on taking it one day at a time and keep on challenging myself to do better, faster, stronger, and more efficient.  And try to keep this company in mind for the long haul.  So once again God saved me before anyone could say " You had it, and you lost it. What a shame".

But when you choose not to lose, 

you always have the last laugh! 

(12/10/2020

1st outing after Covid hit w !! Pizza 

@ swanky Italian restaurant)

Reference: YG "You had it and you lost it, what a shame!