That was my first discovery after surviving a downsizing two weeks ago. Whereas my time used to be counted by green, gridded logs of billable hours, these days I count time by filling washing machines and emptying dishwashers, running miles along the Ohio riverfront, and making coffee dates and cocktail catch-ups with good friends and business contacts.
Some of it is quite nice, to be sure, but it isn't exactly what I had in mind.
I have always enjoyed hard work.
From my days of hauling sticky, dripping bus pans to running breaking news situations in a broadcast control room - I have always relished the task of tough labor.
I like the pressure, I like the challenge. I like the opportunity to conquer an obstacle.
I gave a lot to my most recent post. Long hours, personal sacrifices, thoughtful strategy and execution. But each of us are replaceable, and I found myself in a place of replacing.
As unexpected as it was, I should have known better.
The day after the layoff, my dearest friends bandied about and insisted on an evening of celebration.
Bottles popped and glasses raised, I found myself surrounded by some of the most successful women of my age. A publishing strategist, a pharma saleswoman, an attorney/entrepreneur, a published photographer.
These women have received countless professional accolades and have the hardware to prove it. They've been covered in national and local publications. They are trusted sources for professional and community-based information.
These women are rock stars.
And yet, I was surprised to discover that every single one of them had been laid off once before.
Each woman said her moment of termination led to an opportunity for growth and greatness. Yours will too, they told me, as we clinked champagne flutes to toast new beginnings.
Two years ago I went to India. It was a life-changing journey that opened me up to many new perspectives, including an introduction to the Hindu god, Shiva.
Portrayed in a several traditional forms, one of the more popular symbols of Shiva involves a human figure with four or more arms. The Cincinnati Art Museum has a great sculpture of Shiva just beyond the main entrance, cloaked behind some black nylon fringe. It's a muscular form and a beautiful example of the statues you'd see in New Delhi and elsewhere.
So, Shiva. In the Hindu faith, Shiva is a paradoxical deity. He is both the god of destruction and rebirth. Shiva is typically seen holding a variety of symbolic objects including an hourglass-drum and a tongue of flames. The fiery symbol references the destruction of the world. The hourglass-drum symbolizes creation and the unfolding universe.
Destruction and rebirth. Like the phoenix of Greek mythology, Shiva reminds us we can become a newer, better version of ourselves when we rise from the ashes of our destruction.
A bit heavy, but it's a philosophy that resonates with me.
We can't be our next self, we can't discover new opportunities and challenges, until we close a door on the past. Sometimes that change is our own doing, other times it's not.
As with every other moment of my past, I'm grateful for what has transpired thus far. I've learned a lot, I've discovered new interests and talents. I've met some wonderful people.
But I'm excited about what tomorrow brings.
I'm excited about the universe unfolding before me.
Kate's Random Musings by Kate the Great is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
No comments:
Post a Comment