Nineteen years ago I was living my dream life. I was married for five years. My son was thirteen. I owned my first and only brand new car that I loved.
I had quit my high paying full-time job in the Flexographic printing industry. Using my life savings I decided it was time to do something for myself. I was excepted into a great fulltime night school program to be a nail technician. The school day was Monday thru Thursday from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
I tried working part-time at McDonald's to bring in some money while going to school. I lasted two months. The job was too hard on my lower back. In 1993 I had my first lower back surgery. I never wanted to go through that again. I gave my two-week notice.
A surprising thing happened after I quit McDonald's. A full-time job opened up at my local library. The same library I worked at when I was sixteen. The same library I always said was my dream job.
I applied for the job. I was way overqualified for the job. The job paid pennies compared to what I had been making and could still be making. I went to the interview. I had a blast catching up with the ladies I use to work with.
They were rightly worried about the lower wage I was willing to work for. I explained to them that the wage wasn't an issue. I also explained I was taking night classes. If I found out my family could not live on what I brought home, once finished with schooling, I would get a part-time job doing nails. I already had a job offer at a prestigious Spa once I graduated and got my nail tech license.
There were a few negatives brought up in the interview. The first issue was the work schedule. If you worked fulltime you were expected to work one night a week, Noon to 9:00 PM. On top of that, you worked one Saturday a month. I told them that Saturdays were not a problem. I said I would be more than happy to work every Friday night if the other ladies didn't have a problem with it.
The second problem was an old library policy. If you worked there part-time and a fulltime position opened up it was almost a given you would get the job. A lady that was working part-time had applied for the position too. I said I knew this but this was my dream job and it never hurts to ask or try for your dreams. I left the interview in good spirits knowing I tried but I would not be getting the job.
Thru an odd twist of fate another fulltime employee quit in the next week.
I received a call telling me I had gotten my dream job.
I was thirty-seven years of age. I spent the next nine months working fulltime and going to school full time. It wasn't easy on my husband or son but it was what I had to do. I needed to prove to myself I was smart. I passed school with flying colors. I had a blast spending time with the much younger people that were taking the course with me. I felt young and alive again.
During all of this, the library restructured job positions. I went from being a clerk to a Libray Technical Assistant. My wage more than doubled.
I went on and passed my board exams, written and practical, with straight A's.
I had done it. I had achieved the two things I had always wanted to do. Go to school to be a beautician/nail technician and work full time at my local library. I had shown myself I could achieve anything I set my mind to.
Life was as it should be.
To many people, 2001 was a year of sacrifice, loss, and pain. It was a year in my country we, the people, united once again. It did not matter where you lived or what you had. Americans, in the silent aftermath, helped their fellow man no matter the consequences. Respect for life, neighbors, and family was renewed on September 11, 2001. Never forget what makes The United States of America strong.
We the People........
Help someone smile today. It can not hurt you.
Snook
Photos used in the post are found here
All photos are mine unless otherwise stated.
