Gratitude.

This past week I felt overwhelmed by the status of my ongoing job search.  I am fast approaching my one year anniversary in D.C. and part of me feels like I need to land a job by then.  Given that my anniversary is in ten days, this is highly unlikely...ok, probably impossible...but a girl can dream!  With that said, I have found it helpful to reflect on my blessings when I start wallowing in self-pity.  Now, I realize this is a piece of advice that you are likely to hear from an after school special, but it really does lift me up when I count all of my blessings.  I am so lucky to have a supportive, loving family and amazing friends who I can count on.  I wouldn't be who I am today without their love.

I went to a huge job fair last Tuesday at the convention center here after my roommate tipped me off about it.  I went not knowing what to expect as I had never been to a job fair before and wasn't sure which companies would be attending.  I can't say I gained a lot in my actual job search as the two companies I was interested in, NPR and Amtrak (yes, Amtrak) were not hiring for any communications or admin positions.  The fair provided for some great people watching however as there were people from all ages and walks of life there.  It was nice to know I'm not the only one searching!  We waited in an extremely long line that wrapped around the whole 1st floor of the convention center to even get in.  I, of course, eavesdropped on three guys standing behind me discussing the difficulties they had in finding manual labor and factory work.  One woman said she was looking for literally anything she could find as she was struggling just to pay the bills and put food on the table.  I'm sure she wasn't alone in her struggle as there seemed to be a lot of middle-aged job searchers there.  And here I was feeling self-pity over my job situation!  I am so fortunate to have parents who are helping me financially as I search for employment.  I wouldn't be up here if it wasn't for them and I need to appreciate that more than I do.

I will leave you with this quote of gratitude from my good buddy Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

You tell 'em, Ralph.