Yesterday was a very tiring day.  Work was hectic and traffic was worse.  It took me over an hour to get home which is a daily routine for me.  As I drove I looked up noticing the very gray sky and seeing the small rain drops falling on my windshield. I prepared for traffic to get worse appreciating that in Miami people drive even slower when it rains. I heard the car engines, the horns, saw people on their cells and even saw a few fingers flying in the air.  After about 30 minutes in the car, I looked at the time and realized that I still had about another 20 -30 minutes to go if I was lucky.  Images and thoughts wandered as they often do when I have to sit in the car for a long period of time.  I then silently asked; Dear God, how much longer will I have to do this?

I have been working since I was 15. That’s over 30 years.  I have often wanted to have my own business, or do something different. I’ve always wanted to make a difference.  I will admit that often times I have envied those having the luxury and/or money to stay home and build their dream. I come back to reality desperately Zig-Zaggin all the traffic and rain. “I finally made it” I think to myself  as I walk though my door dropping all my things on the floor. I take my shoes off and head to my room.  I take a long shower, make a quick healthy dinner and begin to finally relax.  I turn on the television and begin watching a documentary called “Lemonade the Movie:” I notice it’s about people who have been laid off and what they have done after getting the “pink slip”.   The tag line for the movie is “It’s not a pink slip, it’s a blank page”.  Filled with curiosity, I watched it and heard the stories of people who have felt devastated by the fact that they now have no pay check.  I then began to think about the question I asked God in the car… “How much longer?” I didn’t have an answer.  I wondered; does God have the answer? Does destiny?  All I really knew was that today my spouse and I have to work. We must pay the bills, the doctors, the schools, and the IRS.  If we don’t’ work what will happen? Who will be become? What will we become?    I also knew another thing though, I knew that we both had dreams and have often worked hard to make them happen; still we are overwhelmed by life and the responsibilities we must meet and the reality of our daily habitual work life.

I continued watching the movie and after it was over my spouse and I just turned our heads to each other without saying a word. I know it was something that wedged in him as well as me.  It made so much of an impact that I wanted to write about it and to take a moment to tell everyone that has recently been laid off to just DO IT!  If you’ve always had a dream, or wanted to do something, now is the time.  Don’t sit moping wondering where the next check will come from.  Don’t feel sorry for yourself, because as long as you have the will you can have the power.  It’s a blank page.  Take advantage of your time and fill it up!