Random Thoughts and Musings

When I am looking for a job, I always have the thought of “I can get a job doing (insert some odd job here) until I find a job, then just quit” in the back of my mind. However, I have yet to be able to bring myself to do this. Why? Because I know that it takes company time and money to hire, and then train, a new employee. I understand that certain businesses (fast food, department stores, gas stations) tend to expect a high turnover rate, but I could not even bring myself to use one of those jobs as a “placeholder” job.

Even now, as I sit here considering a move, wondering if I could make it work in a bigger city, contemplating what kind of a city I would be willing to move to, and what kind of work I could do there … in the back of my mind is this thought: “What am I going to tell my boss?”

That does not mean, “what kind of excuse shall I use.” It means, “How am I going to bring myself to see the disappointment on his face?” When my boss hired me, he hired me with the understanding that he wants a long-term employee. He wanted employee loyalty. He would like to see me running the business side of things when he and his wife retire. He would like to see me retire from this business myself in another 40 years.

In all honesty, I expect the same of my employers … I want to be treated as a valuable employee, someone they do not want to replace anytime soon.

So, do I discuss this with my boss now, when I am only contemplating a move? Or do I wait until I am sure I want to move?

Thoughts?

xoxo

My dear friend, Soren, issued a challenge:

Now… I would like to extend that challenge to you, my readers. Please share a story about yourself; a story that, in one way or another, represents your value system, a story that you would be happy, if not proud, to have repeated.

I accept, and am submitting my reply:

Once upon a time, a friend was going through a custody battle. I was asked, by my friend and his lawyer, to get up on the stand and make suggestive remarks that they could then stretch into the truth they were attempting to portray. They set it up in such a way that I would in no way be held liable for telling a lie … I would be telling the exact truth. It would be on their shoulders if the truth were “realized” in a different light by the judge. My friend begged me, repeatedly, to please do this, to not let him down, to do what is right for his daughter, to save her from abuse.

I love my friend. I knew how desperate he was to retain custody of their daughter. However, I was not aware of any actual physical abuse (it had been hidden from me rather well, or it was imagined now that it was needed … but I fully believe that my friend believed it had happened). Certainly not any sexual abuse of the child. Sexual abuse of my friend, yes … but there were circumstances that led me to believe that it was part of the ‘role play’ game, and not really abuse.

I did not have any evidence. I did not have any reason to believe that my reading of the situation was wrong in any way. Therefore, I could not allow my statements to be used in this manner. When I stood up on the stand, I told the truth clearly and concisely, and then I reiterated and clarified so that the lawyer could in no way stretch my truth into something it was not.

My friend was angry with me for a little while, especially when custody was awarded to his partner. However, we moved past it as we have every other trial and tribulation placed in our path.

I cringe whenever there is a dispute about visitation or child support or phone calls or stolen Christmas gifts … but not once have I regretted my decision to not stretch the truth.

Now I would like to ask all of you, my friends and readers, to play the same game, and to also participate in this challenge. Dig deep inside of yourselves and tell us a story that about your personal integrity.