I'm Amazed!!! My position at the job I was working at was terminated on May 24th, 2005. I felt like a buffoon, a 54 year old complete failure, and sorta like Steve Martin looked like in "the Jerk". I walked from 208 S. Jefferson St. (Adams & Jefferson, Chicago, IL.) to Madison & Jefferson with what my wife calls my "man purse" buldging, couldn't zip it completely shut, and a small box overflowing with my stuff from my desk that was terminated with me.
My wife didn't quite understand when I told her they let me go; she thought that meant early for the day. She was tired and asked me to train it home. I stopped by the obliatory few places and said my buh byes and took the bus to the swift and at the end where she picked me up she asked " what's all that??" I said when they ask you to leave you gotta take it all!! And the light bulb went on and the mouth dropped...You know!!
Now, the amazement begins!!! Shel and I had discussed moving to Florida in about two years or so. So here is what happened.....We decided to do it now!!! But first, there was a lot of work to do. My condo/ townhouse had been in so-so condition soon after a would-be relationship bit the dust. I just sorta used two rooms and had resigned from keeping it clean and kept club for a while then. When shel & I met we cleaned it up sorta and lived in 3 &1/2 rooms and I lamented I could fix it up if I had time. ( I was working 9 to 11 hours daily) Yes, God does have a sense of humor after all!!!
On May 30th, I prayed for the greatest good for all concerned and I began the task of remodeling this wreck into something we could sell and move on to better things. I got some help from John with the beginnings of a ceramic tile floor in my living room, dining room, and hallway to the kitchen, Sam came in for some pipe work and great fellowship;I washed and painted with my Shelly and another friend, Shannon, who stopped in for a couple of hours, and Harry came by to cheer me on and make sure I had enough supplies. Eight rooms, some small, some quite big, 1314 square feet of remodeling, and how most people put up with me, I'll never know.
On August 15th, 77 days fom start to finish, the condo went on the market at @ 8 pm.
On August 18th, at 630 pm the papers had been signed, the bid accepted and the closing was set for the day before my 55th birthday. It all happened in God's time, not mine, and the feeling of inaptitude was replaced by gratitude, humility and amazement. He sure does good work, but only when help is asked for!!!
And now, on to Florida!!!!....More amazement later.....

me doing the "queens wave"

my wife and I on our honeymoon

How does one find out.....I was a drunk for years before I found out...And then, what to do??
a) stop
b) stop after ALL the money is securely drunk up
c) keep drinking...It doesn't matter
d) crash, lose more than you thought, then more than you planned, and finally lose it all...It didn't matter then either.
It doesn't matter....My third AA sponsor showed me a video starring Tim Conway, who playing the role of a Baptist minister, turned a family man with good values into a raging alcoholic by introducing him to rum balls at the church Christmas party. He lost everything, but he still corresponded with the sot. Every Christmas, the minister received a postcard with the picture of a local bloodbank on the face. On the message side the line read, "It doesn't Matter!".
I found out early in my recovery that it does matter. I was not asked to do anything I couldn't. A jovial Greeter-fellow at the church basement AA meeting I was walking into told me that. He said " We're only asking you to change everything you do".
That was about 14+ years ago, give or take a month or two. I did what I was told. I changed everything, just not all at once. It took immeasurable time and effort not to drink in the early months ( it still is only one day at a time ) . Those fellows told me that I could choose a "God concept of my understanding...WOW, what an idea!!! They said, "Keep coming back!!"
Nobody ever told me that without a sacastic tone, until then. When I made the decision to change, change happened!!
I am a recovering alcoholic & addict, quit smoking after 28 years of 2 -3 packs a day(13+ years now), finally found the love of my life in a recovery setting (after two divorces and a couple of so-so romances), found out I suffered from depression, AADD, and diabetes (all very controllable with the correct meds), and got fired for the second time in my 38 year working career.
How does one find out...By living one day at a time and choosing to accept anything that happens to happen in that time period. I have a loving God in my life, not a "religious" one, but a spiritual one. I am loved and I can love back.
How does one find out......It doesn't matter....I'm really grateful I chose to find that out!!