As I am writing this, I am getting ready for a few days of rest and relaxation.  Although my family is anxiously waiting for me to finish packing, I felt I had to get at least one more thought in print.

On weekends I generally start the day by reading the local paper.  This week, the news was particularly depressing.  Aside from a tragic motor vehicle accident, the BP oil spill cleanup, and of course, the high unemployment rate, the one issue which continues to get under my skin has to do with the Senators and Congressmen who talk of those who are out of work as “lazy” and “unmotivated.”

In fact, nothing can be further from the truth.  Since my previous employer closed shop in New York last year, the most motivated individuals that I have ever met are my 149 former co-workers who lost their jobs last year.  As of this writing, many of them are still unemployed.  In addition, my daughter has also been looking for work since her semester ended in early June… 

   I wish those politicians could see how hard my daughter, as well as my former co-workers, struggle to find work; spending eight hours a day, or more, looking for employment.  So here is my first question to those Senators and Congressmen who are crying that “the jobs are there.”  If the jobs are there, why aren’t these people employed, and how can we expect these people to find work when there is still an average of one position open for every five people who are out of work?

  For those people who have not found employment, I would like to offer something positive.  During times like these, we all need a hopeful message to keep us going.  So I am going to dedicate this week’s writing to several people who have given me the hope and inspiration I needed to get me through one of the most difficult times in my life.

  Most important, I would like to thank my parents and family for keeping me motivated and focused.  Although my mother remains very ill as of this writing, her ability to survive is nothing short of amazing.  If my mother could speak to me now, I am sure she would tell me how proud she is of all my positive achievements.  Her amazing tenacity teaches me that, no matter how difficult things seem, it is important to keep pursuing your dreams and initiatives. 

  Although my father does not live close by, I make sure to speak with him every week, and our weekly discussions are always a source of hope.  I am also fortunate to have a younger sister and brother.  As both my sister and I were looking for work at the same time, we were able to keep each other motivated.  During the next few days, I will also be sure to visit my brother, and thank him for his support as well.

   I realize that not everyone has the close relationship with their family that I enjoy, so I would like to mention some other role models that I look up to.  In their own way, they have provided plenty of positive reinforcement.

  1): President John F. Kennedy:  Most readers probably learned about the Cuban Missile Crisis through their history classes.  As a child, I lived through the crisis. Every day I went to school, worried that some political madman would finish construction of missiles aimed at key US cities, and destroy our way of life.  President Kennedy, although faced with this crisis early in his presidency, found a way to end construction of those missile sites.  I remember how everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they heard he was successful.  While I hope our daily issues do not take on such huge proportions, it shows how we can face whatever issues lie before us with bravery and resolve.

2):  Comedian George Carlin (Honorable mention to Victor Borge):  Those of you who read my earlier writings know that I enjoy the work of George Carlin.  While not everyone may approve of the way he used the English language, he was dead on correct when he pointed out the nuances of our language (just as Victor Borge did during an earlier time period).  Both George Carlin and Victor Borge made their points with humorous results.  I firmly believe that humor is the key to remaining positive.

3): Comedian Jackie Mason:  While we are on the subject of comedy, I would also like to take this opportunity to mention Jackie Mason as well.  His appearance on the Tomorrow show, which was filmed in the late 1970’s happened during a critical time in my life.  During that time period, I had lost my first post college job, and a serious relationship I was involved in ended abruptly.  During that time, things were not looking very positive.   It was 1AM and I could not sleep.  So I tuned the television on to the Tomorrow show.

   The guest that evening was Jackie Mason.  He spoke about a time period in his life when he felt miserable.  His family forced him to take an occupation he did not like. In addition he was having problems with his wife, and he felt out of touch with his friends.  He realized the problem was that he was too concerned about maintaining his lifestyle; he was letting others run his life.  He decided to take the initiative and regain control of his life.  He realized the easier path would have been to maintain the status quo and stay in a mediocre relationship.  Instead he chose to take charge of his life.  Although it was not easy, he never lost focus and found a new life and a new profession that he was happy with.

   I thought about his words and how they applied to my situation.  I had left a job that I was not happy with; the relationship that ended was more about trying to fit a mold than being myself.   It became clear to me that I had to take the initiative and change my life into something that I could be proud of and look forward to each day.  Although it took some time, I found a new job, regained my self confidence, and met the woman who would eventually become my wife.  The fact that I did it all on my own terms showed what I could accomplish when I put my mind towards achieving my goals.  It all began because I decided to stay up late one night.

4): Rabbi Marc Gellman:  Every Saturday, I make it a point to read his column in Newsday.  No matter what your beliefs are, I firmly believe that religion helps you through the worst of times.  When one of my friends was having a tough time, he remained optimistic.  I asked him how he could retain such a positive attitude.  He told me that the Almighty was just testing him.  Rabbi Gellman’s columns remind us that religion need not be a list of do’s and don’ts.  He teaches us that God is benevolent and that religion should be positive and uplifting instead of negative and burdensome.  This is the message that I kept close to me during my job search.  

   Finally, I would like to thank my family for being so patient while I churned out this writing.  I now have some serious packing to do.  One final thought. Please remember to take some time out for yourself.  Even if you have not yet found new employment, everyone needs to take a break; so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very quick….Good Hunting

-By Howard K. Young, Contributing Writer & Member of The 405 Club.

View all of Howard’s posts here.