Waiting For My Pension
Martin is an amazing person. I’ve been working with him for four years now and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a frown on his face. In fact, I’d probably say that I’ve never seen him without a smile. It didn’t matter what the weather or how foul my mood. If Marty came by, the room lit up. He just radiates goodness and his mood is infectious.
This week, I learned that Martin is joining the ranks of the unemployed. After 41 years of service, Marty was let go, and he will be missed. I won’t pass judgement on this decision here, but it does cause me to pause and consider my own worth, not just to my present company, but to any company that I may work for in the future.
My favorite line from Monty Python’s Life of Brian is delivered to a crowd of people, “You are all individuals.” To which a single person shouts, “I’m not.” In today’s world, we are truly on our own. There isn’t a fatherly company out there to take care of you, and you’ll be struggling solo during your twilight years.
I will continue to work as a dedicated employee. It’s a matter of personal pride. However, this incident confirms the choices that I’ve made throughout my career. Work like a company man and think like a free agent.
Technorati Tags: layoffs, retirement, career
data-text=”Waiting For My Pension (Shannon Whitley)”
data-count=”vertical”
>Tweet
