Today I realized how things always work out for the best. I think it has always been known to me, and yet sometimes I can tend to question and forget. It is almost 6 years ago that I "lost" my job that I had worked at for 26 years. I worked with people, they had become a part of my family - the people I worked for and the people I worked with. I never wanted another job, it was by far the best job I could ever have. After being called in the office for a "talk" with the boss, I left with tears in my eyes, anger in my mind, and a lonesomeness that wasn't even real yet. It was not a good feeling and that not so good feeling was shared by alot of people. To remember the details now I can't, but I do know it took me a long time to forgive the whole situation. After the "talk" I spent the next couple months applying for a few jobs and working at "Stu's Main Inn" ( Stu owned a restaurant up town for many years - it was the place to go for dinner when you were in school, cheap and fast is what it was known for!). It is a lady now who owns it and she very graciously told me that I could certainly work for her until I found work. Small towns are funny that way... the board who fired me due to "conflict of Interest" came into the establishment who gave me a job for the interim and I served them with a smile. (Well, okay, so I wanted to puke on them - I didn't... I served them with a painted smile that said the bottom has fallen out of my world but I am busy trying to mend it back up. Thank-you very much!)
A job offer came - in fact two at the same time. The Sibley County Faith in Action called me to work for them and as I was thinking about it a call came over the phone for a job in Glencoe that I had applied for...
the job was mine if I wanted it...
four days a week, wages the same as I had been making, and a chance to do something new.
It didn't take me long to accept the Glencoe job and I was excited to start my new career. I started the first week of May, the same time I ended my job at "Stu's Main Inn". (need I put in here - that although I was so appreciative to her for the job, I sure hope I never have to be a waitress again!)
After starting it didn't take me to long to figure out that my area of the facility was not the favorite, was not well accepted, and I was the lone ranger over there!
Thank-goodness I had a wonderful friend there that helped me and we prayed together, we prayed daily - sometimes things were better and sometimes they weren't. It doesn't pay to write up the trials, they were there no doubt, but it does pay to say that eventually I learned to love my job and love my clients. I believe it was the best job I ever had. Then came Christmas that year 2009, they decided to "shut down" my job. If I wanted to I could take my friends job who would be moving to Misery (Missouri). Now, my supportive friend who helped me get through to this point would be leaving... and to top it off the job she supported me in would be gone - a long with the people that I had learned to love.
Well, I took the job and we closed down shop it was bittersweet and I would need to learn some new things.
Turn ahead 2 years...
Today it is January 17th, 2012. I can honestly say that I have never been so happy at a job. We have become like a family, all of us co-workers...
and we laugh.
One of the girls who is quite a bit younger today was "wrong for the first time in her life". She told me it doesn't happen that often so we could go ahead and write it down. She had called a "little bowl" a "little boy"....
"Oh look here is a little boy" (she says as she is in the cupboard looking for a small bowl)
I look at her and we start laughing so hard. I don't know what was better, the fact that she messed up her words or the fact that we were laughing so hard.
The day before I had made a cake for birthday time. After dinner I cut it and put it on plates. Another staff realized "hey maybe it is to early for that, will it dry out?"
I said I didn't think it would and we kept on doing our own thing. When I left the kitchen I thought to myself "maybe I could shut this bi-fold door to the kitchen and that would be kind of like a big tupperware bowl and keep the cake fresh"
What the heck Pam...
are you going crazy...
I started laughing so hard to myself and then told the other two what I had thought.
I again don't know what was better, the fact that I had the thought in the first place, or the fact that we were laughing so hard I didn't think I would make it to the bathroom in time...
and she says later that day "I think I am getting like you Pam, I have to Pee like right now!"
and today she says "Wow, I think I am getting old lady knees like you guys... my knee's sure feel stiff today"
and then she takes this piece of material and wraps it up in a ball and sets it on her head, gets out a little glue and makes a few flowers. The next thing you know she is sporting a new hat for crazy hat day...
and I remember when we started working together another said "I can't sing" and told me a sad story about how she was told by a teacher to lip the song... and her husband to be told her she couldn't sing. I assured her that everyone can sing - if you can talk - you can sing. It warms my heart to see her sing once in awhile now and to put up her arms and take me for a dance around the room with our new knees!
and we are all laughing...
and I love to laugh so much
BUT
even better than laughing is laughing with friends! We have a boss who seems to understand that we like to laugh. She plays in the reindeer games sometimes also. She is supportive and yet is able to handle situations when they arise also. We are Blessed that she understands we don't so much need a boss as we need someone who is supportive of our work and believes in us. I would say she fits that bill and we are proud that she took on the position when she did and that we have come so far as a team. Together, sometimes I feel like we could save the world with our fun.
I think I can safely say this is the best job I ever had!
We have had so many good times that I can't even begin to write them all down here. And I remember this day
With Great love and joy in my heart.
