The Albatross of Unemployment

I will view joblessness as a mere pause, a station, a bahnhof, along the way to a more gleaming opportunity, a more fulfilling role, a diverse-destination portfolio of skills delivered but -- this time -- received with more appreciation, as opposed to the view of joblessness that many hold: an albatross of despair and loss and grief; a view I will not ignore, taking the opportunity to feel such anguish but not be vanquished by it, affording myself the chance to practice compassion and understanding, such as understanding Can Man, who wheels his shopping cart around Tipperary Hill, ferreting out discarded bottles and cans for their return value, and who shines with wonder when someone stops, gets out of the car, and surprises him with a crumpled dollar bill proffered in the icy wind.