On September 19, 2005 I lost my job at Rockcastle Manufacturing (Cintas), through no fault of my own. The CEO and higher-ups, apparently decided that there was a greater profit to be made from the foreign market than from the plant in Rockcastle County. Be that as it may, the point is I lost a job that I had every intention of retiring from at 65 or 66 years of age. Well sometimes life will take a strange turn and all your plans for the future go up in smoke, here today, gone tomorrow. I had invested over 11 years in that job, and yes it was a very scary thing to lose it.
Part of the results to the plant closing was a severance package and the chance to go back to school. As upset as most people were, some of the employees were very excited about the chance to go to college, and not have to pay for it because, as I understand, when a plant closes its doors, part of the process involves paying for former workers to go back to school and train for a better paying job. Thus, here begins my story.
I had mixed feelings about the plant closure, the thought of being unemployed for the first time in many years, and some relief, because it really was a hard place to work. .
I decided to attend school as soon as I was sure we were really out the door, because this was probably a golden opportunity for someone my age. I had never thought that I would get this chance, so when the door opened I stepped right through. I can honestly say I have never been so terrified in my life as when I made that final decision. Going back to school at any time is more than likely scary, but when you have been out for numerous years it is absolutely petrifying! My first thought was, I am 46 years old and I am too old to go back to school, and my next thought was, wait one minute, I have heard of people starting back at 70 years old, so what do I have to fear? I sure found out in a hurry that it was not easy, but some of the best things life has to offer are never easy. I had forgotten most of what I had learned in school, but with hard work and determination I feel I can succeed. Not only that, but it makes me proud of myself for at least trying. If for some reason I fail to take this chance to the limits, then that will be my shortcoming, because with all the help out there for everyone, there really is no excuse not to make this work. When I was in school we didn’t have a computer at every corner and we sure didn’t have the means we do now to find out about anything, really we want to know about. The places you can go to get information is amazing. Until I started remedial classes at CAP, in preparation for college, I had never touched a computer in my life. I didn’t even know how to turn one on or off. And guess what? I now own one! It is an amazing thing, this computer. I am partly scared to death of it and mostly amazed by it. I would never have gotten one if I had not started back to school. I still don’t know a lot about my computer, but I am just interested enough and just determined enough to see this thing through. We have some really good teachers at the center. From these teachers we have learned enough to get interested in learning the rest. We may never be experts at computers, but I bet we now know more than when we first started. They have their hands full because so many of us did decide to go to college, and we need remedial classes to prepare for it, but all in all the teachers do a pretty good job. I’m sure it would have been easier with smaller classes, but I think they are proud of each of us for trying. Encouragement means a lot when you are doing something new, and I can say without a doubt that I personally have received quite a bit of it. Not only from friends and teachers, but from family as well. Only a few people have made the comment about age and I sure can put them in their place in a hurry. If starting over by going to school lands me in a really good higher paying job, well let the comments roll! I am doing this for myself and because I may never get this chance again, so I know I will give it my best shot.
I have decided to make my major in college a Physical Therapist Assistant. I have been told this is not an easy major, but I am still going to try. If I do make it through this class I will get to work in the medical field where the pay is very good and the benefits will make all the hard work worth the effort. I am doing research on my chosen field, on the computer, and by talking to people who work at this or have family or friends who do, and all I have heard so far has been positive.
So yes I was scared when I lost my job, but now I am so busy planning for the future and my time in college that it is not something I dwell on. I try to look at all the positive things instead of uncertainty about the future and it helps. As I often start to get scared all over again I think about my bank account a few years down the road of life and the phrase that comes to mind is “you go girl”.
For any one who reads this the main point is don’t let anger and being afraid stop you from taking a chance to do better in life. I know from personal experience how hard it is to lose a job and start over, and if I can do this anyone can. You see it is not just the fear of starting over, I also have a loss of hearing to deal with and sometimes the frustration alone makes me want to throw up my hands and quit, but I am not going to do that under any conditions because I still have to make a living, I still have to live and I intend to as long as I am able, standing on my own two feet! My hope is that people in general will understand my handicap and be patient with me because this was not something I chose to happen to me, I have had a hearing problem all my life. I don’t expect special attention, as a matter of fact I loath that kind of thing. I just wish everyone would speak in a really loud voice. Ha Ha.
Thank you, Linda
