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| My new look for Fall |
My daily challenge: keeping up the spirits of my job-seeking son. I put a bright spin on the world. "It's really not that bad," I say. "Not everything sucks." I do my best to counter his morning rants. They go something like this: "What eff'n bullsh*t." "How hard is it to reply to an eff'n email?" "@#$% this job sh*t!" I smile thoroughout, which hurts my face. I give a rousing pep talk. I go all Pollyanna on his butt: "They'll call you back, honey." "Just be patient." "You shouldn't take it so personally." "Something good is going to happen. I can feel it." "Keep an open mind." "Don't lose your perspective." "You've got your health." Or, when I'm really out of ideas, "It could be worse. You could be in graduate school."
Yes, the job search has stalled. It was looking so good a few weeks ago. We rushed out and got him the wardrobe of a young professional. Now all he needs is the role. He needs to hear, "You're hired. You start tomorrow. Welcome aboard." Limbo is hard place to be. At 22, it feels like purgatory. At 52, career-wise, it feels like a permanent address. But I can't tell him that. I want him to look toward the future with blind optimism, even though we both know, it's genetically impossible to be that upbeat. But hey, I can fake it on behalf of my boy, at least for a little while. Till he gets a job and finds out what it's really like out there.
Keep his sunny side up... Up!
ReplyDeleteIt could be worse. My 34 year old daughter had to move back home with us, after years on her own. She's an unemployed microbiologist. She's depressed. Lost her confidence. Now is eating to comfort herself. She's sent out hundreds of resumes and can't understand why she can't get her old life back. Tell your son to hang tough. His time will come.
ReplyDeleteTarryterre, I'm sending out good vibes for your daughter. Thanks so much!
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