When one door closes.....

I pulled into the parking lot at work last Tuesday and the first thing I noticed was a very strong police presence.  I was instantly worried as we have a lot of employees and my mind began racing as to what had taken place.  As I timidly walked up to the building I noticed my boss was standing outside of my office, I saw his boss standing next to him and I also saw the President and CEO of the company and the area managers and I knew this was NOT a good sign. 

They wasted no time in telling me that they had some bad news for me.  They had decided to close our plant down for two years and all 235 of us had 60 days to find new jobs.  I sat in shock, feeling so sorry for myself as they began telling me that my job for the next couple of days would be damage control and my role was to provide a calm, gentle environment where people who would be devastated could come to get answers. 

How could I be the calm person, when I was among the distraught?  What was I going to do?  How could this me happening to me?  I felt that way for about 7 minutes until I started watching my coworkers and friends walk by my office with dazed looks on their faces.  Some were crying.  Some were really crying and I began to realize that I had no reason to feel sorry for myself, when there were people in far more hopeless situations than mine. 

We have 14 couples who work for us.  Meaning that both mom and dad had just lost their jobs.  We have single mom's and single dad's who lost their jobs.  We have men who are in their late 50's, who have worked for the company for dozens of years.  So many people just lost their health benefits and their retirement plans and their futures.   I started to cry.  Not for me, my husband has a great job with benefits.  I was crying for my sweet, Rebecca who was sobbing in her office.  I was crying for my friend, Mitch who in the provider for his two little boys and who just started working for us.  I could go on and on.  And for Stephanie who is having a baby in May.   It was one of the most difficult days I have ever had to trudge through.  We had a huge employee meeting where men (who all have well paying jobs) stood before us and told us how sorry they were and how we would all land on our feet and we were wonderful employees and how grateful they were for us.  It was such a load of crap. 

None of us felt any sort of loyalty.  There was no reason to do any work.  There was no reason to do anything except update our resumes and start visiting job sites.  I had 6 calls from random companies that day who had heard that we were shutting down and were offering positions to our employees.  It was really nice of them to call...  It would have been so comforting if they had been in our town or our state for that matter.  Dallas, Texas... Atlanta, Georgia... Owatonna, Minnesota.  I'm sure lovely cities, but who wants to go there? 

I made a call to my friend, Mindy.  She is very heavily connected in the community.  She walks around like she is a normal person, but to me she is an angel sent to protect me from all things.  She is there for me in all of my turmoils, frustrations, sadnesses, unemployment.  She told me not to worry because she would take care of me and for the second time in a year because of her I felt no sadness or worry.  I don't know why.  I for some reason knew that things would be alright.  And thanks to my angelic BFF,  today I was offered a position with another company for more money.  I just love her with all my heart.  I am so lucky to have found her.  What a huge relief.  I feel no reason to draw out my employment and I so accepted the offer with the new company and I start in two days.  I don't know why things happen the way they do.  I will just conclude with this quote. 

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it, that matters. 

 

 

And so here I go again, learning a new job.  I just did this.  Good thing I LOVE CHANGE!!!  And making decisions.  Makes for one of my favorite weeks of all time.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

There is NEVER a dull moment in the Lund House is there? 

Just try and keep up with us...