The Economy and Stuff

As I’ve been sitting in Training this week with 9 other people, most of whom have been victims of layoffs, most of us struggling to survive and doing what we can to tread water, as well as my own experience the last three months as a single woman trying to get by,  I’ve thought about a lot of things.

One of the guys used to own his own finance company.  Read that again…he OWNED his own finance company.  Has worked for large corporations as this big shot, finance guy.  He is now, like me, training for a job he is way over-qualified for.

Another guy, a young guy in his mid to late 20’s is an architect.

Another guy is an electrical engineer and  has just returned from his second deployment in Iraq within the last several weeks.  You want to talk about HUMBLING, listening to Eric describe the numerous times his life was in danger, dealing with riots in an Iraqi prison, and all these things that are just about impossible for a dufus like me to wrap my head around.  I would say Eric is probably not even 30 years old. 

A young lady in my class, a little, teeny tiny woman originally from Guyana, who made her way to the United States, is also a military veteran, is a college graduate…

Another lady, probably in her mid to late 50’s, retired from working for the Government, took another job in the insurance business, is responsible for caring for her elderly mother and will be working the overnight shift.

There’s yet another young lady, who moved here to work for a very large company.  Packed up from her hometown in South Alabama, leaving her family and friends, getting an apartment here only to get laid off three months later. 

The thought has occurred to me this week listening to my co-workers tell their stories of struggle and trying to figure out what to do in these lean times and the constant news reports of how bad the economy is, all the people losing their jobs, etc….and this may sound weird but I think it’s probably good that we’re going through this Recession/Pre-Depression/Whatever You Wanna Call It. 

I don’t know what I’m trying to say and I’m certainly not an expert on talking about the dang economy and all that, but, I think maybe it’s good for the people of my generation to experience this stuff. 

 So many people in my general age group (that could be anybody born after say, 1960 on up to 1980) have never had any sorta clue what it’s like to struggle.  Our generation had everything.  I look at my own kids.  They certainly don’t live in a mansion but my word-they have no idea how lucky they are to have what they have. 

I’ve always been amazed at young people, not far out of college who have homes and lifestyles that it took their parents years of hard work to obtain.  It’s always been unsettling to me and it seemed like something was not quite right about it.  What is there to work for and dream for  when you have “everything” so young?

I’m not what you would call smart about stuff like this and I will tell you I’ve looked at many people my age who live quite well with a fair amount of envy.  Then again, I feel like maybe, my lack of riches as an adult, lack of credit cards (thank you, Jesus that a tiny taste of that was all I needed to know I didn’t want that)-as an adult, if I didn’t have the cash for it, I didn’t get it.  Plain and simple.  I’m not patting myself on the back by any stretch or saying everybody should use ME as their financial example cause that’s not it.  God knows I could use a lesson or two in budgeting.  I’m still flying by the seat of my pants with that.

I know that the Economy thing will eventually turn around.  I don’t know when or how or what, but, nothing ever stays the same.  It will go back up and I hope people will learn that maybe credit isn’t always the best way to do stuff, ya know?  And that the One With The Most Toys doesn’t really win anything but a lot of debt, stress, marital problems, despair, etc. etc. etc.

And I am once again disclaiming my ability to say anything about important stuff like the economy.  I’m very hopeful for our country, our Powers That Be, my own situation and future and am glad that God is in control. 

And I’m REALLY glad to be back amongst the employed people and hope that I will never forget those dark days of December and January, sitting here in my ever-so-humble, but very comfortable dwelling, wondering what in the world I was going to do next.  I don’t ever want to forget my wonderful family and extended family and how they helped me.  I hope and pray I will someday be able to do the same thing for somebody like they did me. 

More importantly, I don’t want to forget that even though I had some very dark days since December 5, I knew that God was going to provide for me.  Didn’t know how, but, I know from experience He’s pretty dang creative and has a way better imagination than I’ve got.   He’s done things for me I could’ve never thought of.  He’s bigger and greater to me now than ever.  I’m not out of my hole yet, but I can at least see that it’s not quite as deep as it appeared to be.

~ by sistasmiff on March 12, 2009.