I had a bit of a scare yesterday. My husband calls to tell me that he is 'forced into retirement'. Reason being.........our local Ford dealer has CLOSED their doors down in the blink of an eye. No warning, nothing. Everyone was shocked to say the least. People were calling their loved ones, crying, stunned, and calling about town to see if any other jobs were available, complete chaos.

In my panic, I cried and worried, not just for my husband, but for all the people I know well who also have families to feed and who live from pay check to pay check. I soon sat down to see what outstanding bills we had and what we spend on our monthly bills. I know everyone should be prepared and living on a set budget, but we have kinda lived by 'if you want it or need it, then go ahead and buy it' kinda way. Don't get me wrong, we always pay our bills, don't have huge expenses on credit, and always keep a certain amount of money in our bank account at all times. We live within our means but have also been able to 'play' when we wanted.

So with this scare I go around and turn off the tv and lights and sit in silence pondering 'how is my husband going to handle this? will he have a heart attack like so many do when they retire? what will he do with himself?'. All of these questions are going through my mind and I don't have the answers, but I am very concerned for him. He is a fairly high strung, strong, healthy man at 68 who does'nt know what to do with himself if he cannot be busy. Oh, he can sit and watch his ballgames and such for hours on tv, like most every man I know can, but he has been on this daily schedule and routine for well over 40 years. This will not be an easy thing to adjust to. I know because I was forced to 'retire' 11 years ago at the age of 45 and emotions ran from anger, depression and worse for years. I did'nt know what to do with myself. Who was I? What did I want to do with the rest of my life? Why can't I find a job I could work at? So many unanswered questions which took years for me to find the answers. I don't want this for my husband. I want him to go into retirement because he's ready to.

We just don't realize how every day routines and what we have set for our life goals can be changed in that blink of an eye. Is this something one can really prepare for? I know some can. But do you really have a plan for how you will go about each and every day? For a man like my husband, who I can rarely get to take a vacation and relax, this would be devastating right now.

After speaking back and forth with my husband on the phone, he tells me he has already called the unemployment office and around town to other companies to way out his options. I can hear the anxiety in his voice and I know he is concerned way more than he will admit. He finally comes home around 7 pm to tell me that he will begin working at the local Chevy dealer starting next Tuesday. They want to hire him and one other guy from Ford to work strickly on Fords at their facility since there will no longer be a Ford dealership here in Klamath Falls.

For now the burden of worry has been lifted off our shoulders. But I know this day will once again, in the near future, come back upon us. I hope that we will both be a little more prepared for when that day comes. If I could only get this man to learn to vacation and find life outside of work.

My heart still aches for our friends and their familes we have met and known over the years that have worked beside my husband. I pray they will find a way to get through this and can hold on to whatever normalcy they can until they each find work again. I know my husband has already spoken with some of them. To let them know we are here to help in any way we can. A few of the men have found work just like my husband, but there are many that I know it will be difficult for them to find. Our town has been shrinking in business a lot in the last year.  So many places have closed down.
 For now all I can do is pray and hope that our economy will turn around soon. Before it is too late for some.  I can only leave you with this.

   The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.


Amen.



--Reinhold Niebuhr