As I mentioned in a prior post, I had worked for a company for 12 years and this company was 2 1/2 miles from my home. Then, I went to work for another company, the one that would shut down after I was there for 18 months, and this company was 35 miles from my home. I had never spent any time in this area so I was a complete fish out of water when I first arrived.
Slowly but surely, I learned my way around, but there were some challenges. My office was off-site from the Headquarters office and on Day 2 I had to go to HQ for a meeting and I got lost. Not a good sign for the new Meeting & Event Planner to get lost. But I quickly learned to navigate to HQ, gas stations, lunch spots and other shopping opportunities in the area.
It has been over a year since I’ve been up that way, but today I returned to do some window shopping in my favorite haunts and just kind of check everything out in the area. Even though I worked there for only 18 months, today everywhere I looked I saw places I had made regular visits to. It was very strange to be back.
I did not drive by my old office. I am sure that most people I worked with at this company have moved on. I, however, have not and am still bitter. It’s hard not to be when 2 1/2 years later I am still unemployed. What makes it even worse is I loved the job I had and sometimes I worry that it will be the best job I ever have.
I suppose that once I am employed again this bitterness will wane if not disappear altogether, unless of course this next job is disappointing. I know that beggars can’t be choosers, but it’s very hard to accept that I might have to settle, if even for a short time.
Until then, I hold no hard feelings towards the area where this company resides. It was good to see it again today and remember, that for a time, I expanded my horizons, and wonder, when and where my next workplace will be.
Most days I’d be happy with an answer to the “when” part.
