Sandy Supposes....

Satisfaction

September 3rd prompt: What is the hardest part of your job? Tell us how you deal with it.

          Job? Full disclosure. I no longer am employed gainfully, or otherwise. I have not responded to a schedule, or a timeclock, or expectations for several years now. That's not to say I am completely idle.

         People find projects and errands to keep me busy. Sometimes,I'm the chauffeur for medical appointments. Sometimes, I ferry items between persons, so I act as a courier. Occasionally, I am asked to be an entertainer, a teacher, a clown, a snuggler and a play buddy for my two-year old grandgiggle. The two older granddaughters seek my assistance with homework and they utilize me as a sounding board. My services are varied.

          For the past forty three years I've toiled as the chief chef, bottle washer, acquisitions procurer, and accounts manager in my household. Some may refer to this as juggling, but it's all necessary, no?

         Yes, I did once venture forth to earn a living and contribute to society. During that period in my life I visited people in their homes and assisted them / supported them to maintain their independence. Personal dignity was key.

         A rapport developed between me and my clients. Everyone likes to talk and share. I never failed to marvel at the tenacity and the compassion of my mainly senior clients. Not once did I loathe our interactions. I anticipated their stories and insights.

         What did I dislike? There was never enough time allotted to satisfy the seniors' need for socialization. All my visits were exercises in time management.Chatting was squeezed in while bathing, cooking, cleaning and more. If shopping, or other errands were deemed necessary they ate into the scheduled visit.

         Did I deal ? Did I cope? As I already stated, time management was critical. I multi-tasked. I deferred the least important tasks so, I prioritized. If a client lived locally, I might take care of the errands on my own time.

         As with too many jobs, bureaucracy could be overbearing. After each visit, I was expected to write and submit a report. I understand this requirement, but I had issues with the fact that they were seldom read. I'd mention problems and they were ignored.

         Ah, well, this was all water under the bridge and I survived. I do miss hearing the varied bits of living history.