Thank all of you at SPN!

I want to thank all of my SPN connections for connecting with me as you have helped me more than I could have imagined. So, I am sharing this story with all of you, as all of you have helped me grow as a person. In late September, I was released from employment due to the company I worked for being in financial difficulty. It was not unexpected, I had planned for such an occurrence and was actually looking at becoming semi-retired. I was planning on doing consulting work, earning enough to pay my routine bills until I could fully retire. But, then, I remembered a few items I may not have adequatley planned for.

For the past number of years, I gave a substantial donation to the local food pantry around this time of year and Christmas time. I cannot stand to see people go hungry in America, much less in my home town, especially at a time when folks are supposed to be happy. Hard to be happy on an empty stomach. And the Alden-Marilla Food Pantry helps those in need. I was feeling quite bad that I may not be able to donate as generously as I had in the past; they rely on those donations to help feed others. It's my cause, a local cause, not world changing; but one that helps others and me. In past jobs, I traveled New York State in the rural areas and saw first hand what the lack of steady income at a good job does to people. I saw first hand the devastation of a community in the aftermath of Hurricane Lee; the Village of Owego, virtually wiped out at Christmas time, homes and small businesses wrecked by flooding at a time of the year when people should be planning for a festive season. My heart was sad, I knew some would not recover any time soon. But those people had a community to help heal and repair the damage done. I knew if I did not do what I could for my community, who would? So just do it; in the process of helping others, I felt blessings flow to me.

Through LinkedIn, I uncovered an opportunity to go back to full-time work. It was not what I had in September, but it will do for now. I could afford that donation. Your postings and replies have validated what I knew existed in America. People in professional positions that want to use their skills and talent to make a better community for all of us. Who are neighbors who understand; if it is to be, it's up to me. Thank you for your support; it is a good Thanksgiving for me.