My Divorce
My story begins on February 14, 2008. That was the day I received the best Valentine’s Day gift I had ever received: my divorce from human resources.
It was the day I left human resources to venture into my life as a journalist. It was both scary and exciting. I questioned my sanity many days after leaving, but it was the smartest and most courageous move I had ever made in my life. I mean, who leaves a 40k + a year job to become a writer? Hell, who leaves a job period not knowing what is going to happen? And to write? That is one of the most unstable and uncertain careers as a newbie in the industry. My story is one of faith and perseverance.
My story actually began way before my divorce. It began when I was bold enough to ask my supervisor to let me go with unemployment benefits. She said yes. I couldn’t believe I was hearing her correctly. To make sure, I asked again. She again said yes. I almost exploded from excitement. I don’t know if she was happy to see me leave or if she was happy to send me off into my purpose. All I know is, I was about leave with a little cushion.
I set off to become the best exiting employee ever. I was NOT going to do anything to jeopardize losing my unemployment benefits. Believe me when I tell you that I was the best Marcie she had ever seen. She probably felt that she should have let me go way before then.
The timing of my exit was ideal. They were trying not to pay me a bonus so they wanted me out before the end of March. They needed me to go, and I was ready to. A match made in heaven.
I walked out of Corporate America feeling like Mary Tyler Moore must have felt when she walked out of that subway with the theme song “We’re gonna make it after all” in the background. I was determined to make it then; I’m even more so now.
And, I pray that I never have to return to Corporate America as a full-time employee. I hope to never return period. But if I have to, definitely not full-time.
My divorce from human resources was indeed the best Valentine’s Day gift I have ever received.