Doomsday

Today I was fired. Let go. Laid off. Axed. My position was eliminated. However you word it, I am unemployed. But I particularly prefer saying, "I was fired today!" just because I know I did nothing wrong and don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to say it again. It's kind of like saying "I got married today!" You typically only have one chance in your lifetime to speak those words.


I wasn't exactly surprised. And I certainly wasn't alone. A few weeks ago it was announced that more than 500 positions would be eliminated. There's no point discussing the details of why the cuts were being made because there was nothing I could have done differently to change the outcome. At the moment I found out, the decisions of which positions would no longer exist already were made. I just had to wait three weeks to find out if mine was on the list.

It truly felt like doomsday as I witnessed several of my co-workers - the people I chatted with every day, walked to the cafeteria with, respected and looked up to - one by one be taken from their cubicles and asked to leave the building. It was over for them. I wondered if it would be over for me too. Soon I learned it was.

I never felt angry. For a company that had given me a chance to prove what I'm capable of, I could have no ill feelings. I still think it's a wonderful place to work filled with talented, caring individuals dedicated to products that will change the world. I truly hope the company attains its goals and is profitable for decades to come.

The words I loathed so much seemed to make such good sense. I thought to myself, "It is what it is." I had a very successful 2012. I grew professionally, I developed relationships around the company, I contributed to record-breaking results. I did what was asked of me ... and then some. But the cards didn't fall my way this time, and as I left the building and felt the cold January air hit my face, tears fell. By the time I reached my vehicle, I was done crying. Focusing on my future and the things I can change in life was what I needed to do now. I had to see the opportunities that are in front of me. And I thought to myself, "Life. Goes. On."