Starting My New Job and Missing My Brother!

I'll write more about my brother's passing over the weekend after we've had his service and sent him off in style! I'm working on a poem for him, have a eulogy to put together and a notice to put together for the newspaper. I'll be able to share those here when they're done. In the meantime I have this new job I have to get to! And that's what's so really crazy about the past few days (daze!) I was supposed to start with orientation on Monday... But they're waiting for me and they are very understanding - most people can appreciate a loss that close to another family member can be very traumatic and I'm so lucky to have joined up with them rather than some corporation that might not have the same softness of heart. So let me tell you a bit about this - I think it might be of interest to some people. I've accepted a job that pays about half what I used to make doing something somewhat mundane but quite useful. Through that work I am assisting my community and our environment and that seems a very good thing. I've signed on with a non-profit organization that's partnered up with charity groups in the region and through the sale of lightly used clothing and hard goods this company raises money to help other community services. They also send surplus items to other less fortunate.people in other countries in Africa and even India and other countries as well. Hopefully people there are making good use of the items sent. Here in Canada the company is called Value Village - in the US they're called Savers and they've been doing this work for 50 years!. The people who started the company began at the Salvation Army with setting up Thrift Stores and then put their current structure in place and the rest is history! The work I'll be doing for them won't be mentally challenging but I'm told things get hectic and we will be busy! That will make my day go fast! That's a good thing! There may be the opportunity to apply a bit of creativity to the job at some point but now that I have my blogs, my website and my photography to dabble with in my spare time I think it will provide enough creative stimulation to help me make this contribution without getting too discouraged. In addition there are little benefits that make my contribution that much more do-able; discounts and health benefits are available to employees. So this is a different way to contribute to the community! It benefits me as well as our area and allows me essentially to contribute without having to be a "volunteer". I'd call it a new way of volunteering in one's community. Though there's nothing new about it a lot of people who do volunteer work either have an income elsewhere or don't require health benefits and have a fair amount of time available to make a real contribution through their efforts. While I've certainly had the time to do volunteering some minimal income requirements needed to be met and even a low paying position will cover that need in particular because it includes benefits. So my partner John and I are looking forward to the changes and we'll be doing some re-organizing in our lives to accommodate the job and still let me continue with my on line work though with a slower tempo! This story ties in with my brother too - I was looking forward to telling him about my new job, and was hoping I'd have some interesting stories to tell him on Easter weekend, when we'd planned to get together for Easter Dinner. I knew he'd be interested and one of the first things he would've asked would've been the same thing my daughter asked "Do you get employee discounts?". He would have been excited to start getting plans in place to get down here to visit and do some shopping at the Value Village store! Darn! That's one he missed! I'll be thinking of him while I get started at the job - I'm going to go in a bit later today and start getting myself up to speed for them and will give them my best effort to contribute to the success of their operation. I look forward to this new adventure and to doing something that feels useful and productive for the community where I live while helping me too. I'll whistle while I work and the work will help me be busy so I don't dwell too much on things. Life must move on, life is change and so change is what we shall have to focus on and I hope my brother peeks over my shoulder from time to time with a little giggle, a "smart guy" comment or a pat of encouragement! So I'll have lots to write about as I get to learn the ropes and about the company itself. The next few days will be busy but I'll be sure to pop in and out and keep everyone abreast of how I'm doing and how things are going.