Back to Work

i met a mummy friend in school during results day last week and was surprised to find out that she has started working at a fast food restaurant. Not too long ago, she has undergone a major heart surgery and was so depressed about her condition during the post-op stage that she thought of suicide. But thank goodness, she was able to "step outside" herself and look into her own condition to conclude that depressive thoughts are natural for her condition. i am very proud of her in fact - of her recovery and of her taking up a job that doesn't pay that fantastic (it's $4 per hour) when she is a graduate from her home country and used to run successful businesses. But i can see that she is happy. She shared excitedly about the organized bonding activities she recently attended with her new colleagues. And i am happy for her too :)

A day after this, i met another mummy friend in the library. Ethan and her son are classmates since Primary One. It took me a few seconds longer to respond when she greeted me cos i didn't recognize her immediately in her uniform. She has started working recently in the library. We chatted for a short while cos she was still at work after all. But i left the meeting impressed cos this mum is still very active in volunteering in school (which is why i never guessed she is working) and is also an active grassroots leader. Oh well, some are just better than others in time management :)

i recently got to know a young mum who resigned from her banking job when she was in her third trimester. Now that her child is 7 months old, she has decided to return to work, but in a different setting, one that allows her to have more time with her first-born. Things seem to be looking up cos the jobs landed on her lap literally - she was recommended by friends who knew she was looking to re-enter the workforce to "stay relevant" (her words). So she now teaches in 2 polytechnics a few hours a day (ya, she is my colleague in my new teaching assignment). Two months into the jobs, things are just settling into a familiar pattern when she found out she is pregnant. On top of that, she is recently hit by a strong flu bug that has already infected her mum, her husband and her baby. In her own words, "I feel like I've just been hit by a truck". i had to stand in for her classes 2 weeks back when her baby was sick and now i'm on standby to cover her Thursday and Friday classes if she is still sick. That poor girl. i like her very much. She is just so full of life! She is a jovial and witty and very sociable. She didn't plan for the pregnancy and felt guilty to have to trouble her colleagues and most of all, felt that her short-term plans have been derailed. She doesn't know how the next school semester will pan out, now that she is pregnant.

There is a time for everything i guess. For the 2 friends mentioned earlier, they both re-entered the workforce when their child is in P6. But my young friend needn't wait that long lah. Maybe a year or 2? But try telling it to her now, lol. She'll be OK i know. Despite the (temporary) upset in career plans, i reminded her "You are loved" and she totally agreed with me :)