It's Nothing Personal

An out of work friend and I saw Up in the Air yesterday. Have you seen it? It's the story of a man who has made a life of cutting people loose. Any movie that prompts a heartfelt discussion about intrinsic value earns a gold seal of approval. It was a great flick.

It's a weird moment to realize someone thinks they can do without us. It feels bad. But here we sit, with an exceptional work ethic and oodles of skills, watching a movie on a Tuesday afternoon that we could have starred in. How ironic.

Do you remember the part in You've Got Mail when Tom Hanks tried to use the lame excuse of 'It's nothing personal' to explain why he had put Meg Ryan's bookstore out of business and was skewered with the reply 'That just means it's not personal to you. But it's personal to me.' I think about that after the umpteenth call from a friend telling me they have joined the ranks of the unemployed. Does anyone even see us anymore?

In addition to the money thing, which is huge, people seem to be discovering they have inadvertently upended the value of jobs in their lives. Jobs are no longer just places they spend their time. People's lives have become subtexts to their jobs rather than the other way around. As long as things are in balance, life feels pretty good. There are buddies to lunch with and get togethers after work to commisserate over bosses. But when a layoff comes, and the shock wears off, what is left is a void where a life should be. No longer having the shared commonality thrusts them into exile as their job/career network dissolves.

I believe in the tried and true value systems that will see us through, namely that the measure of a good life is one that overflows with things that softens life's blows: People. Love. Faith. Memories. Family. Trust. Friends. Unrealized dreams. All the rest will work itself out.