If you’re a long time reader of this blog, you know that I’ve got some OCD issues when it comes to organizing things, especially my home. When I lost my job in the summer of 2007, I tackled the clutter in my house and am proud to say my husband and I have been able to maintain it for 4 years. I would be lying, however, if I told you it’s not been much more of a challenge since I returned to the work force last December.
Today I finally caught up on over 6 months of filing. I know, the horror! I realized I do not have a file for “US Air” and there is some paperwork I need to keep from them so I wrote up a new folder. As I tried to file it in the file cabinet, alphabetically, I realized that it went directly behind my “Unemployment” folder, which, by the way, may be the largest file of them all. Immediately my mind went to the many times I had pulled that file out to make a call to the Unemployment Office to see if I was eligible for an extension on my compensation. Those were very difficult calls to make and I can still remember my heart in my throat as I waited for someone to answer the line.
As I wedged the “US Air” folder in behind the “Unemployment” folder, it all seemed very fitting. I thought about going through the “Unemployment” folder to see what I could get rid of, but the superstitious part of me wouldn’t allow it. “It’s too soon” as the comedians say when they make a joke about some new news story that is also a sensitive issue.
The files in the file cabinet really tell the story of my life. The folders are the chapters of my life and new chapters are written all the time and some existing chapters stay open while others close. And I guess, really, the “Unemployment” chapter has to stay. For if the files represent the chapters of my life, this is one that must be read.
