My week has been primarily devoted to the beginning of the academic year and to work with an enterprising group of students who are working with me to start a communications agency to serve our campus departments and organizations. We have a lot of enthusiasm and are feeling our way into how all of this is going to work. I will let you know how things go with this project as it develops.
Today, however, I would like to share with you the story of a Useful, Pleasant Lives reader who is also my friend:
At the age of 41, I am starting over.
After an incredible financial disaster, brought about in part by a mentally ill husband, I left my home, car, and marriage and moved back to Illinois.
Unlike many people in disastrous situations, I am fortunate that my family was instrumental in getting me out, as well as housing me until I am able to get back on my feet fully.
My job search took on a completely different tone once I started looking in Illinois. Previously, I had been looking for a job that could support the house, all of the bills, two cars, and a husband that was virtually unemployable. Now, I had the luxury of looking for a career that I would enjoy and be able to grow with. I was having a very hard time remembering the last time that I have felt successful or valuable, and with the help of a dear friend, I am getting my professional groove back.
I am working as a bookseller at O’Hare Airport for $9.50 an hour. In another two months, I will be eligible for my own medical and dental insurance. I work 4 10-hour days each week. The hours are long, getting there is a challenge, and the paychecks are miniscule. But, I am working hard and doing something that I love. I have been a bookseller since I was 15, and I am thrilled to have come full circle back to my roots.
If it was not for my loving and supportive family, I certainly would not be able to afford to work this job. I am surrounded every day by people that work long hours as janitors, fast-food workers, and even booksellers, that are scraping and pinching to pay the rent on their meager salaries. But, because my expenses are small right now, I am able to dive in to the job and focus on getting promoted as quickly as I can.
The challenge for me now is to determine what kind of life I want to lead. I need space for my cats and me. I want to entertain. I want to travel. I want to splurge occasionally on a great bottle of wine. But mostly, I want to be self-sufficient again. I am well on my way.
Useful, Pleasant Lives is generating really interesting conversations here on the blog, on Facebook and even around the office. I have such thoughtful and brave readers and friends. Thank you all for your willingness to consider the idea of Useful, Pleasant Lives. Thank you for inspiring me.
Photo © Copyright Roger Dean and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
by GadgetGrl
31 Aug 2011 at 10:26
First of all, what a lovely story about starting over and changing perspective. I am so happy for your friend to have landed in a loving supportive community and to be able to feel valuable, that is so important to each of us.
I’m so glad reaction to your blog has been good. We are all searching for our own useful, pleasant life.
by UPLives
06 Sep 2011 at 15:12
Good afternoon, pleasant readers! I wanted to let you all know that our bookseller just got promoted!!!
Hurray for the bookseller!!!