Fork in the Road

So every once in a while as an adult we come to what I call a "fork in the road". I have hit a few of those along the way. The challenge presented is always, which way do you choose? Fundamentally I believe that you follow your gut, and you take the path that feels right, regardless of what those around you think or say. It is your life, your choice. At the end of the day you will end up where you are meant to be! It might take a while due to some detours along the way, however.

Last year I was faced with such a "fork in the road", when I placed myself in a position of opportunity to change jobs, after being with my former employer for nearly 10 years. There is some comfort with longevity in your career, and employment. Although, with comfort often comes stagnation. I really needed something different, the stress was killing me, compounded by the enromous frustration that I felt on a daily basis, which was perhaps not always valid, but nonetheless very real, and intrusive to me!

I'm not a big gambler, but I did choose to take a position with another employer, I new it would be a challenge, and that there would be a learning curve, and I also went into it with full disclosure that my salary would be substantially less, with the optimisitc outlook that the position I was taking would very well be reclassified, and hence the pay scale would increase. Then the "economic" hardship hit my little neck of the world, and "hiring freeze", etc. became common buzz words. Reclassification is off the table now. Other ciricumstances have placed other financial strains on the monthly budget as well.

As you can imagine this has all been so very overwhelming. I share the rest of the story with those that know me best. At the end of the day I have come to know some truths:
The old saying of "you know who your friends are when times get tough" is oh so very true, friends really are my life line, mostly because I choose to have it that way. "Rich" does not equate to happy. There is some benefit to analylzing your life in reference to priorities, lifestyle and committment. Basic needs are expensive, even when "simplifying". It is important to have a food storage that does not include mostly expired dates on the packages. It's important to keep your freezer mostly full. $50.00 a month for groceries goes a lot farther if you have taken those precautionary steps.

The point I make is that forks in the road are important, I continue to believe that everything happens for a reason, and what is meant to be is meant to be. We have a responsibility to just embrace it all along the way. Teaching our children to do the same is a gift we can, and should give them along the way.