I’ve gone to several job interviews where I asked,

“Are you flexible with hours regarding medical appointments?”

The interviewee usually gives me the answer,

“Yes, just as long as it is not too much.”

After the interview, I do not hear from them.

I was laid off at one of my jobs, their excuse was that they were reorganizing the company. Later I found out, I was the only one who was let go and they hired another employee to do my job. I could not help feeling inadequate. 

While I looked for a new job, I read the book Animal Farm. I didn’t know what to expect of it, I just knew it was a classic novel that I needed to read. While reading, I found myself so angry at the character Boxer the Horse. He is the hardest working character in the book. He was well focused and dedicated to completing his back breaking job but lacked the intelligence to observe what was really going on in his surroundings.

I shared this opinion to my friend who had read the book years ago. She asked,

“Are you angry at the horse because you see yourself in it?”

I was taken aback.

Later that evening, I pondered on why I was angry at the character.

“I will work harder. I will work harder. I will work harder.”

I nearly fell off the bed after realizing, I AM THAT HORSE!

It is the same subconscious mantra I repeat at work to please my employers.

Boxer worked day and night until he was removed from the farm because he was no longer useful.

I worked my butt off until I was deemed useless.

I laughed at myself after I fully grasped the cliché idiom that I’ve heard all of my life,

“Don’t take it personal, it’s just business.”