Being employed is a lot like being married. Just as you know when you’ve found the right partner, you know when you’ve found the right employer. And once you’ve tied the knot, you’re guaranteed to have a lot of highs, a lot of lows, and a lot of the somwhere-in-between routine. But, you’re a team now. You’re committed to each other. In good times and bad…for better or for worse.
In the beginning it’s fantastic. Your happiness is off the charts. You walk around with your chest puffed out and a big smile on your face because you have someone to love, who also loves you. You’ll do anything for them and they’ll do anything for you.
Eventually, the honeymoon ends. No problem though, you’re still happy. Just like you were yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. As your head gradually decends from the clouds, the jubilant feeling of excitement might not be as intense anymore, but the love is unchanged.
As you settle into your routine, your world is turned upside down by a big announcement. It’s a…big new client! Of course, the happiness level skyrockets once again. Then, reality sets in and you and your partner look at each other and ask, “what do we do now?” Like any other new experience the two of you encounter, you work together and figure it out. From this, your bond grows and you feel even more united than you did the day you walked down the aisle.
Your bundle of joy now becomes the center of your universe. The old routine is replaced by a new routine. Your new priority demands a lot of attention and a lot of love. You and your partner sacrifice some of the attention you give each other in order to meet and exceed the needs of the new love in your lives. As always, you still love your partner to pieces though you might not be able to express it as much as you did in the past.
Just when you feel as if you’ve found your comfort zone with the latest adjustment to your relationship, you’re faced with a new and unexpected challenge. After a long, prosperous period of growth, you’re now in the midst of an economic crisis. It causes pain, discomfort, and difficult conversations from which solutions emerge. Times are rough, yet you weather the storm because you work as a team. When the dust settles, your bond is stronger than ever.
These sorts of experiences will come and go for the rest of your lives. Highs, lows, and the somewhere-in-between routine. But through it all, you can always rely upon your love as a foundation to partner together to overcome whatever obstacles you may encounter.
(And on that note, I’d like to say to my beautiful wife, Happy Anniversary Honey! Our love and our bond has continued to grow stronger since we walked down the aisle five years ago today. We are and will forever remain a team…for better or for worse. I love you!)