All in a Day's (Paid) Work

For someone who has been unemployed for around five months now, my husband has been handling it pretty well.

Don't get me wrong; we've had our share of doubt, discouragement, frustration, and hopelessness. What is so great, though, is that Patrick always manages to force himself out of those ruts and get back in the game. He keeps things interesting by attending career workshops, job fairs, and resume critiques; conducting informational and networking interviews; volunteering with the Boy Scouts,Young Men's program, and other church programs; and researching new career fields.

Yesterday was a great day for Patrick--he spoke on the phone in the morning with someone who is an attorney for the state of Atlanta. This contact suggested another person for Patrick to speak to and invited him to a Georgia House of Representatives committee meeting that afternoon. Patrick arrived on time, and even though they got started late and he was only able to see ten or fifteen minutes of the meeting, he came away excited and inspired. It was one more confirmation that he really enjoys the political process (without all the nasty politics that we hear about every day). For someone who is still trying to figure out exactly what his "dream job" will be, it was enough to bolster his confidence in his ongoing, long-term career search.

The reason Patrick couldn't stay longer at the meeting was that he had an interview right after. The result of this interview was a few days of badly needed work. Though there is no guarantee of work after those few days, it is an opportunity that we are very excited for. This morning I dropped Patrick off for work at 8:30 AM. What a great feeling!

I would venture to say that there is a lot our little family has learned in these months of joblessness that we never would have if Patrick had gotten work right away--important, valuable lessons, like how to network, where to look for jobs and make connections, and how to keep busy and stay positive. I'd venture to say that we also learned that feeling like we're in the pit of despair one day (or week, or month) doesn't mean that we won't have some success the next.

Thanks to all who have been so supportive of us! We've really appreciated the love, advice, and commiseration. We look forward to being on the other side of the fence and being able to provide the same service to others who need it. Until then, we'll enjoy this very positive change of pace. Now when Cambrie asks where Daddy is, I can finally say, "He's at work! He'll be home soon." Another great feeling, for sure.