What Has Been Lost

 Near the end of my shift at work today, I got called away for a meeting. Business has been slowing down lately, demand has tapered off - we're only producing about half of what we were a year ago. Second shift, the shift I worked on for just over three years, was removed for our department (and at least one other department, more recently). There's been a lot of restructuring going on; a couple of weeks back, they let go of all the part-time employees, and about two weeks ago they did the same for the people who have shown themselves to be...unreliable in nature (attendance issues, write-ups).

And then, today, they let me go.

I had various feelings about this. Shock that it was happening, dread regarding the future, and also relief. Honestly, I had been planning to resign from my post (I was planning to turn in my two-week notice next week), so this does save me the trouble. Still, there is the feeling that I am being forced out, rather than leaving on my own terms.

This was always intended as a temporary thing. I would be there for a year or two, then move on. Then the pandemic happened, and suddenly I was lucky to be working at all. Then the pandemic eased up, but business ramped up, and we were working 50-60 hours a week, every week, and I'm too worn out to even think about looking for another job. Work settled down, and one of my co-workers pointed out that, with another couple of months, I would have been there for three years, which would result in my 401(k) vesting. Definitely want to stick around for that!

Then Second shift went away, and I went to First shift. I told myself that I would wait until after the holidays, and then seriously consider resigning. The part-timers were sent away, then the unreliables. We were even warned that our remaining numbers would be cut further, though not exactly when (though soon). I was ready to stick it out for two more weeks; so much for that.

This isn't my first job, but it is the first job that I have had in some time. There are assorted things I need to do (some of which I should have done already, like actually look for another job somewhere else). I'm scared, but also hopeful. I'm older and wiser, and I have work-experience I can list on my resume. 

While something has been lost, yes, that opens the path for something new to be found.