Sunday, January 06, 2008

Being grateful


I have been thinking a lot lately about changing jobs. I am sick and tired of doing what I currently do. The fact that it has nothing to do with my career plan does not help how I feel about it. When I took the job, it was because I could not find a job I was really interested in but still needed to earn money to pay my bills.

In all this, I have tried to keep in mind the fact that I am lucky to have what people view as a “good” job. It has allowed me buy a car, pay for my Masters Degree in the UK, buy nice new clothes and give my daughter the quality of life she deserves.

If I had no reason to be grateful, an opportunity for that came up last week when I walked into a shop to buy a dress. I was not looking at any one person when I walked in. I just really needed a dress in a hurry, so as soon as I entered the shop, I immediately started scanning the room to see if they had anything appropriate. The sales person behind me asked me if she could help me and I turned to look at her. The next thing out of her mouth was “I believe I know you”. Whenever I hear those words I steel myself and prepare a warm and friendly face as I really can never remember anyone. In this case, it did not take me more than 5 seconds to remember exactly who she was.

You see, we were in the same university, same faculty, same department. We even stayed in the same hostel block and lived in the same area back home. I had been to her parent’s house in the past and she had been to mine. There was no way I could forget her. She was also really popular in school. One of the party crowd. I was the opposite, always choosing to stay indoors. Despite that, we got along really well, she being a nice girl and all.

The questions started mentally flooding in: She works here? Why would she work here? She is a graduate. We studied almost the same thing. I wonder how much she earns? It can’t be much. How does one survive on that sort of salary? True, it is an upscale store, but it is a store nonetheless. Is she okay with her life as it is? I hope she is. Not that she’s okay with working here, but not sad. Omigosh, I hope she’s not embarrassed to have me see her working here. I have to put her at ease. Hold on, she does not seem uneasy. All the time, I was smiling and telling her how great it was to see her. And it was.

It was a totally humbling experience for me. If she was embarrassed to see me, it did not show as she gisted with me and still carried out her job professionally. Also, the way I see it that aspect of her life may not be at par with that particular aspect of mine but then life has many facets. How am I to know of all the other ways she has excelled? She may have excelled at being a mother and a wife. At being a truly spiritual being who is close to her Maker and swings in His Holy Will.

As I left that store, clutching my purchase and a piece of paper with her phone number on it, I resolved to be even more grateful for my lot in life and remember the other aspects of life.


29 comments:

  1. Hmmm one constantly needs those kinds of reminders to remind you of how grateful you need to be to God for his blessings....at the same time, I dont think you should compare yourself to her level...I never used to understand what my dad meant when we told him we came 4th but our friend came third...he would say "how about the person that came 1st" compare yourself to the 1st not the last love.

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  2. I think different people have different level of ambition in life. Some people just want to go to school then get married and have kids, other pple want more for themselves. The fact that she seems so content could be becos she is exactly where she wants to be in life.

    I think u should be grateful like u said, but still,if u are dissatisfied with ur current job u should make moves to get to a place where u would be happy with whatever u are doing.

    I really want to be a doctor, but it is hard as heck to get into med school in this country. Yet i know that if i did something else i would die of boredom after a couple of years.

    I wish u the best in 2008. Make it happen.

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  3. some things are like trigger to remind us of how lucky we are or how we should be grateful for what we have... in this regard, we should learn to find fulfillment in whatever we do

    HNY!

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  4. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I have added you to my favorites cause you are my kind of woman. Nice post, it goes to show how important it is to be comfortable in your own skin and secure with who you are. Seems to me that your friend defines herself by who she knows she is, not by what she does. Happy New Year to you too...Cheers!

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  5. Which brings up the saying, if you think yours is bad, wait till you see the other person.. Life is interesting though!!!

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  6. Hmmm...if u definitely live in a country like jand, then one will be more appreciative. People from home have left with degrees, diplomas etc, hoping they'll make it big here and they end up cleaning toilets, being security person etc. As yorubas say(pls forgive my bad spelling o), owo igbe ki'irun i.e. Sh** money no dey smell. One has to be content with what they've got.
    A lot of naijas most especially our parents think if u're not doctor, lawyer(in naija standard o), dat u're not somebody.
    BTW, nice musical video to accompany d post.

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  7. Experience such events almost on daily basis. It's so scary and humbling same time. I thank God for my privileges that i sometimes take for granted.

    Happy new year!

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  8. Un aupdate at last. Some people are simply content, like you said she may be a success at other things, and doesn't care much for career.You'd be surprised that with her little salary, she may give more to the poor than those of us earning mega, At the end of the day, it all depends on how we define life.
    How have you been? What did you need a dress for, did you have a hot date? you know I like gist!

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  9. i must agree wit most of u up there as regards her being comfy wit wat she is doing but have u guys considered the fact that she has tried really hard and still finds herself where she is ?

    she may have wanted a career and no matter hw hard she tried she didint get smthing appropriate u naw, and again she made herself accept wat life offered her in gud faith, she may still be searchin for smthing betta....we neva can tell

    all in all it boils down to being gr8ful but that is not sayign u shuld abandon ur search for a new job o.

    regards

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  10. random situation like this truly make you take a step back and appreciate whatever you have or have attained.

    stay blessed

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  11. One always has to be thankful...the number of times similar incidents have happened to me remind me of this....

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  12. love the singing libra..

    I love how she was at ease.. because truly truly... we dont know all that she's done to arrive where she is

    it's always nice to get a nudge into appreciation but it still shouldnt hinder us from reaching out for more or for somn different

    Happy New Year

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  13. I agree with you and everyone else on the importance of being grateful for what you've got and where you are in life (at all times). I also think life is way too short to be stuck doing a job you don't enjoy. Fine, i'm not doing my first choice of job, but i'm in my current job for the relevant experience it'll give me for what i eventually want to spend the rest of my life doing so I don't mind getting up in the morning to go to work. Of course, things are slightly different when you've got someone else dependent on your bread and butter but I say keep looking for that job that you love and you'll get it in God's time.

    Best wishes for the New Year!

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  14. Word! I think we only need to look around and one person will remind us of how grateful we need to be.At the same time, we have to keep pressing on till we get to that place we want to be

    Happy new year!Wish you one of many blessings!

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  15. @ everyone: Thank you for your comments. I have absolutely no plans not to forge ahead. This was just and episode to make me feel grateful for what I have whilst still looking on to better things.

    @ For the love: Curiosity killed the...? The dress was for a girl with a looong name. You know her, don't you?

    For those I was unable to reach earlier: Happy New Year!

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  16. Happy New Year. In everything we should give thanks to God cos whatever we thisnk isnt good enough or discard will always be a treasure to others.

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  18. I know wat u mean meeting an old schoolmate and de r in an odd job. It breaks my heart and i would do wat u did and smile make dem feel comfortable but wen i leave dem i wonder how de r doing.

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  20. i'm sure she's content in her own way.

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  21. goodluck in ur job search in 08. hope u are as fulfilled as u wanna be, even more! God bless u

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  22. You have put alot in perspective for me right now. I am walking around with an attitude of gratitude....

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  23. I don't know...She seemed at ease. And what's the definition of success? It's probably like beauty, very subjective.

    Here's wishing you an extra-ordinarily positive new year

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  24. We may soon have tomake laws in blogville that people must update at least once a week. UPDATE. How you dey?

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  25. love, i've been there o. doing a job dat paid me N5000, another one dat paid me N20000, & now 1 dat pays me a whole lot more. I haven't changed in my values. i'm still d same girl who put in her best, no matter what d pay was. i've learnt so many things in all these jobs dat went beyond money & 4 those am very grateful. i suppose i could be earning more, but it doesn't bother me too much. like i say 2 my friends, it's not all paths of making money that is everyone. nice blog though. wonder y it took me so long to come calling. i'd come again 4 sure

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  26. that is a good reminder! good luck though.

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  27. I love that she had a great attitude towards you and that she was professional at the same time. I hope she goes places. Maybe one day she'll have her own store? It's hard to remember to stop and be grateful. Thanks for reminding me to do the same.

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