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An Ordinary, Insecure Day at Work

"Okay, it's time to get up and get moving," I say to myself.

And so, today starts like usual by waking up, getting up and going to work. It is ordinary by anyone's standards until I reach my office. When I open the door of my sales office I feel something is different and the small square note on my desk tells me that today is another soul-descending day. Just a few simple words let me know that my own much appreciated construction superintendent is among the seven that are laid off. Seven more individuals whose lives are changing this morning. A very painful reminder that my job is not secured and that even in my own special work niche my world is changing, that management is shaving off everything expendable and even things that are not, to keep the business going.

I am a Real Estate sales agent specializing in new homes. At least today I am. My builder has several communities here in my town and we're all really trying to put families into homes. The other agents and I cling together closely, sharing thoughts and asking each other questions we know there are no answers too. We continually look for signs indicating a changing of the tide and that sales will improve, but it keeps slipping away. The economical outlook does not look promising for us at this moment; maybe, maybe, maybe, it's just around the corner? Optimism has to surround us because we are sales people and who will buy from a pessimistic salesperson?

"When do the fear and the pain stop?" I ask myself. "How do you stop worrying everyday about whether or not you will have a job tomorrow?"

The loss of more employees in my already decimated industry is heartbreaking and unnerving. My lifestyle is not extravagant for being in Real Estate and at this point I just want to stay afloat, to keep my home, to drive my car, to work and contribute to the economy by being an active consumer and user of every day goods.

"I should be looking seriously at moving into a different field of work," I think to myself.

I used to jump out of bed every morning with excitement, but now I know I most likely will not see anyone in my office, will not have a sale, and will only watch the squirrels run about on hard, flat dirt that should be new homes for buyers looking for part of the American Dream. But New Home sales have crashed and burned. No matter how I slice and dice it, I have voluntarily agreed to sell new homes in an area high in foreclosures. In fact, this little town of mine finally

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