The Leap

 

        I'm trying to limit the amount of time that I spend on social media. I used to enjoy posting thoughts and pictures, but now I find I really don't have much I want to share anymore. One thing I still like doing is looking at the memories section every morning. A few days ago I noticed that I posted about taking a leap of faith. Sometimes when I see these cryptic posts, I'm not sure what I meant. This time I knew what prompted that post. Eight years ago I quit my full time job.

        This isn't the first time I quit a job. It is the first time I quit before I had another job lined up. 

        I wasn't planning on quitting. My plan was to continue working full time until I got much older. Then maybe I'd back down to part time. I felt like I needed to stay with the company I was at. There weren't a lot of pharmacy jobs open plus the degree I have is somewhat obsolete. Since it is better to have a job even if the working conditions were not great than to have no job, I kept plugging away doing my best.

        One morning, I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt like the company I was working for was deliberately making things difficult. I put in my two weeks notice.

        Fortunately for me, C saw this coming and was looking for open jobs. He found one nearby and I applied for it. It was a brand new pharmacy that had been open for only a year. The pharmacy manager was younger than I was but was looking for someone interested in helping her to grow the business. It was very part time and somewhat risky, but I took it.

        It was strange going from 50 plus hours a week down to much less than that. We went over our expenses and pared down those things that were not necessary. It was so strange having so much free time. I had no idea what to do. 

        Several months later, a medical condition I'd been ignoring got to the point where I couldn't ignore it anymore. I was so grateful for my job. Working part time allowed me to recover from the surgery I eventually needed. I also got back some of the self confidence that had seeped away when I worked for the previous company. The pharmacy manager and I along with the techs made the best working team I've ever had. I worked there a year and a half and then it was sold to a large chain. We were all devastated. We had worked so hard and it seemed that we were beginning to gain momentum. 

        I found another job. It was working as a float pharmacist, but I hoped it would turn into a part time job at one store. Then that pharmacy was sold to a big chain. I was beginning to feel paranoid. I wondered if maybe I should think about going into another profession. I could go back to school and get a nursing degree, as it would be easier to find a job. I didn't want to do that though and with C's help started job hunting again.

        Fast forward several months and I found the job I'm working at now. I have the time to do things that I want to do. When my parents moved into this area, I was available to help care for them. 

        Looking back at it all, I really feel like things worked out for the best. If I had still been working full time when my medical situation got worse, I'm not sure I would have been allowed sufficient recovery time. I would also have missed out on the best working experience of my life. Sure it came with some scary times, but there will always be bumps on the road. That's how life is. 

        Looking back I can now say that I took the leap and landed on my feet.