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I Looked Every Where Else First

I remember one very low and disturbing part of my life. I was twenty-four, divorced, no job and was helping raise two boys. Now add too much alcohol to the mix and that’s a crash just waiting to happen. I did everything I could to avoid having to look for a job. I cashed in my life insurance and sought help from my parents to start an imaginary business wondering around in my brain. The only part of the day that really worked for me was the late nighttime when my fingers were clutching a beer and my mind believed tomorrow was going to be better. But that was just the booze thinking and that wellness evaporated when the sun came up. During the late afternoons and early evenings I would walk the streets hoping a miracle would find me and wellness would return to my life.

Don't Let Your Pride Get in the Way

I avoided my parents because I could feel their thoughts saying get out and make things work for yourself. But I hesitated doing that because I had false pride. You see my parents used to own an amusement park, which I helped, manage and that was a cushy job for me. It also made me feel pretty important in the scheme of things. And once you’re on top of the ladder its hard to move down and still function with wellness in your life. So when hard times hit and the park folded my life went from being on top of the ladder to not even reaching the first rung. My education was a High School Diploma, one college course in economics and a public speaking course.

Waiting Made it Harder to the Started

The more I waited the harder it was to move forward and find a new way to survive. Then one day with no money in my pockets, bills up the wazoo I filled out an application for a boiler operator job opening at the local hospital. Didn’t have a clue about boilers but I did have many skills I learned while growing up and working labor type jobs at my parents amusement park. My Father always insisted I learned the business from the ground up and he wasn’t kidding when he said that. First I shoveled sand and put up snow fence, then learned to fix any ride in the park. My last labor learning experience was repairing the roller coaster.

I Applied and Got the Job

I think I got the boiler job because I passed the drug test. Apparently the community in which the hospital resided claimed a large population of beings using anything they could find to stick in their veins. So I got the job because my test said negative. Luckily for me alcohol wasn’t a thing they tested for. My boiler job taught me a dear lesson jobs are everywhere and finding them requires movement on my part if I’m going to find a job. I learned that reliability, no drugs, being on time and taking responsibility for your progress in life is squarely on your shoulders and cant be achieved by looking to someone else to do it for you.

We All have Value

I learned that everyone has worth regardless of what their standing is in the community. And until you learn that truth life will be a constant challenge for you.

Go Ahead and Just Move One Step

So what are you waiting for? Help is just one step forward and doing something like filling out an application and then saying yes to the offer of employment.


Don L. Terrill

photo by RussellReno