Hello

Hello, and here I am. I can honestly say even though 2020 is behind us.... I will never forget that wild roller coaster ride. 2020 was the year that I thought was going to be the best year of my life. Why you may ask? Well....it was the year of my 25! I got a promotion! All occurred in that first month.... then of course the unexpected occurred. A turn of the worst I should say. We lost the GOAT 🐐, Kobe Bryant..... honestly I felt the pain for his family. A pain that carried on for remainder of the year. As the year progresses we found out about the inevitable COVID-19, that killed hundreds to thousands to hundreds thousands of people. Pain spread across the world as many families lost their loved ones to this virus. The root of this virus is still unknown quite frankly.....but the effect of this leaves nothing but pain. As the year progresses thousands to millions of people lose their jobs due to shutdowns. People worrying where their next meal will come from or how they will keep a roof over their heads.

Essential workers working double to triple times harder to provide services to the public, but pay not even been compensated for their hard work. Not to mention them risking their lives to provide for their families. I was fortunate enough to be an essential worker. I use to complain about my job, complain about the early mornings and the late evenings. Having to still go out in the midst of COVID-19, while others chilled at home. Not knowing that I should be grateful for income, while many lost that. Feeling that I’m not being compensated enough to risk my life on a daily basis. Questioning and challenging authority. Only thinking of my wants and needs, instead of thinking about the bigger picture.

As the year progresses, things only get worse. My location temporarily shuts down, and my coworkers and I are deployed to different locations. In the midst of it all.... we are all worrying will we lose are bread and butter, our way of surviving through COVID-19. My heart started to change. The unknown is very scary. After several weeks of deployment to different locations, I’ve meant a lot of people along the way.... some good, some bad, and some questionable 🤨. I’ve learned to appreciate working with the individuals that I was with at my locations, because certain personalities should not mix! Like At all! Yet I still had to remain professional and keep my composure.

Months into the new norm, I came to the realization that change isn’t so bad. Change is a part of life, and that change is going to continue to occur. Just like the weather....another change was surely approaching. Transitioning into the colder months, I was in the process of moving into my first apartment. Was this exciting? Yes! A change for the good finally happened! Of course a change of the worse was right around the corner.... the change was me losing my job. That feeling of pain came over me all over again, enough to make me sick to my stomach. Not knowing how I’m going to make this move happen. Not knowing how I’m going to furnish my place, let alone make the following month’s rent. Not knowing how I’m going to furnish my place, or even feed myself.

One week turns to two and the unexpected happened yet again! I got called in for an interview... I was feeling a mixture of emotions, but I had to pull myself together. I had to go in with a positive mindset, and only think about how lucky I was to get an interview so quickly during the most rough part of this pandemic.... people not having income.... people steadily losing loved ones.... people turning their pain into anger. As I enter the establishment I took a deep breath.... I challenged my pain into something else.... that something else was determination to get what I needed to just help me survive. All I wanted to do was survive! After my interview was done, I felt a weight lift off of me. A weight of anxiety and depression off of me.

A week later, I grew worried. I haven’t heard anything back. I thought all my trouble were over....then I received a call back right before I was preparing to reach back out. Tears of joy rolled down my face, as I received the news I’m going to be employed again. Me losing a job to get another in less than a month’s time during a pandemic was truly a blessing in disguise. Now I know y’all are wondering if this is the end of my story right? No it’s only the beginning.... the beginning of a new outlook of life. That new outlook was to be thankful for what you have, don’t worry about what you want. I was thankful for this job. I was thankful for my new place. I was thankful for the food I had in my cabinets. I was thankful for the clothes I had in my drawers and closet. I was thankful for being COVID free.

As I look back on 2020. I still think about how the unexpected could happen to anyone. Never think you’re untouchable! Always look at the bigger picture in life! Keep faith and remain positive! Find the strength to continue to move forward!

Hello! Here I am! Still standing! Still making the best it! You can too!