Actions Speak Loudest

Life's challenges hit me pretty hard when I was fired from a job I loved and sacrificed for after nine years of service. There were a lot of contributing factors to losing my job. The one that sticks the hardest was the part of my "performance" that included store morale. There was a young lady who worked for me. She was not only someone I hired and promoted, but someone who I worked diligently with to help save her job when she found herself on the verge of losing it based on her sales results. A few years back her father died. I tried to be supportive and understanding, but when she came back something had changed at her core. She became this nasty, negative person. She blamed everyone else for all of her failures and shortcomings. She called Human Resources for any slights against her...real or imagined...and she did it regularly without a courtesy conversation with myself or my assistants. This was the biggest contributor to "store morale". So yesterday, after making me breakfast, then taking me to an early afternoon showing of Brave 3D we stopped by my former place of employment to drop off my company phones and tablet. Ironically enough, she was working. The moment she caught sight of me she ran and hid in the back office. We were there for nearly 30 minutes and she didn't make an appearance once. I was gratified by everyone else who came out to say hello and give me hugs...and I'd be lying if I didn't say that her running and hiding didn't somewhat amuse me. Her behavior told me everything I needed to know about her guilt at her behavior. I acted with integrity and had nothing to hide. Even though the whole situation did not end well, I could hold my head up high and look the world in the eye. She could not say the same.

New Beginnings

I was fired for the first time in my life this week. It happened on the 4th of July. I know I should be upset, but oddly, I find myself reflective instead. The hardest part for me was saying goodbye to the people who have been such a big part of my life for years. As I walked out the door, I took the time to say a personal goodbye to all the people who have worked so hard for me. It was gratifying to know that I had made a difference to many of them. I left surrounded by their hugs, tears and best wishes. Now it's time to look toward the future. I will take a little time to figure out what I want for myself, and this time I am determined to make sure that I have a work/life balance. Last time my life was sacrificed on the altar of my career... This time I will be looking for something that will allow me to spend time with the people I love, not running from crisis to crisis sacrificing my family time and personal health along the way. I guess what I am trying to say is that God works in mysterious ways, and I think this was his way of telling me he has better things in mind for me and that it is time to let go.