Drifting Like a Summer Breeze

He knew it was going to happen. He wasn't reallyshould last him for at least six months. He could pay his
surprised.bills and still have a little money to go out every once in
Yeah, if he had to be honest with himself, it hit him kinda while.
of hard because he had been with them for so long.Steve is simply drifting through life with no direction. A
But to be honest, they never really showed any realsimple snag in his plan has thrown him all off course.
interest in him or his work.Life is passing him by and he doesn't even realize it. He
Now that he's thinking about it, he was the obvioushas amble time to learn about himself and use his "lay
choice. Brian was their "golden boy." And Lisa, well, ifoff" and make the best of it.
you look as good as she does, it doesn't matter howBut Steve, like so many of us, is not aware of how to
smart you are or how much you can produce, theyuse TIME to our advance.
loved her.Let me tell you about Janet.
He had the feeling every since they announced thatJanet received her termination letter the same day
they were going to have cut backs, that he would beSteve received his. She was upset but had vowed not
one of the people they cut back with, yet, he didto let it get her down.
nothing to prepare himself for this moment.As she drove home for the last time from her "job"
As he carried his box of personal belongings out to theshe reached into her glove compartment and pulled
car on his final walk from the office to the parking lot,out her motivational tape by motivational speaker and
he was thankful for Darryl, who was the only persontrainer, Dawn Fields (hehe, shameless plug).
who walked with him out of the building.Janet knew God had a purpose for her life and was
He knew that Darryl was secretly smiling on the insidedetermined to use her newly acquired "free time" to
because he hadn't received his pink slip. It was prettydiscover that purpose.
crazy but the only thing he was thinking about at thisShe purposely set the alarm clock to the time she
moment was that the slip wasn't actually pink. In fact, itnormally got up each day when she had to go into
wasn't even a slip, but a full-blown letter that waswork. But this time, instead of running around the house
typed out on a computer and printed out. Probably ongetting ready to go work for someone else, she was
the same printer he used everyday. He also thoughtgoing to work on herself.
that Darryl shouldn't be too happy because hisjobShe jumped out of bed and put on her sweat clothes;
wasn't promised to him either. He wasn't their "goldengrabbed hermotivational tape and headed out to the
boy" and he wasn't all that attractive either. Thatpark for a jog.
thought made him smile a little.When she arrived back home, she took a shower and
As he drove off, his mind kept going back to when hisstarted cooking breakfast. As she ate her breakfast,
boss called him into the office. He was feeling soshe grabbed a piece of paper and jotted down the
many emotions at that time; he didn't quite know howthings that she was good at doing; things she liked to
to feel. Yes, he was angry. But he was alsodo; things that she thought she was better at doing
concerned about what he would do next with his life.than most people.
Uh ol', here comes the anger again.She decided to design the perfect job for herself.
"I gave them people 11 years of my life. For what? ForThe next thing she did was pray. She decided to
them to give me a letter stating that they no longerspend on hour a day, thanking God for the blessings
required my services."He has already given her and theblessings He would
That just didn't seem fair. Well, they did give him agive her in the near future.
pretty descent severage pay. They paid him threeThen one day, the thought came into Janet's head
months salary. That was nice of them. They didn'tabout real estate.
have to do that, he thought.Janet had always had an interest in real estate. She
All of a sudden, he became conscious of his routehad always wanted to buy homes and charge a low
home.down payment so that everyone could own a home if
He has driven this route so many times over the pastthey so desired. That thought was just the beginning
11 years. It was sort of sad thinking that this would befor Janet. She immediately went online and looked up
the last time he drove this way home.real estate courses.
Beep, beep, beep. Steve swings his arm over and hitsShe didn't want to be a Broker, she wanted to buy
the alarm clock to silence it. Then he pulls the coversand sell homes on her own. A Real Estate Investor.
off of himself and swung his legs over the side of theYes.That sounded good to her.
bed. He rested his face in his hands and then jerks hisShe went to the bookstore and purchased a book
head up.that taught her how to buy homes with little or no
"I don't have to get up today. I was laid off yesterday."money down.
He laughs. Then quickly lays back into bed. But he can'tShe found out the Unemployment in her state pays for
go back to sleep. His mind is racing.you to go to school for whatever she wants to study.
"What am I going to do today", he thought. Well, I'm notShe decides to take a course on buying and selling
going to look for a job. I deserve a break. I think I willproperty.
just relax for about two weeks before I even thinkSix months later, Janet is happier than she has ever
about looking for another job.been. She has more money than she ever thought
He gets up, grabs his robe and slippers and headspossible. She is the proud owner of 3 houses and 1
down to the kitchen. As he fixes a bowl of cereal, heapartment unit that houses 20 apartments.
turns on the television set and watches the news.She has bought all of her property and homes at 20%
After the news is over he flicks from channel tobelow cost and has sold them at cost without using
channel and decides to watch a little Regis.any of her own money.
After Regis ends, he gets captivated by a "Who is MyShe learned how to get investors to give her the
Baby Daddy" story coming on Jenny Jones next. Thenmoney she needed and turn a profit for both them and
Maury Povich has the same story line except his isher.
"Maury, Help Me Find My Baby Daddy." Well, he simplyJanet took advantage of her free time. Instead of
has to watch that one too.drifting and letting time slip by like Steve, Janet made
Three weeks have gone by and Steve finds that it isevery minute count. She decided to turn the television
hard for him to turn off the television and get off theoff and her mind on. She decided to get in touch with
couch. He doesn't even take baths on any consistenther spirituality and move closer to God.
basis. He seems to be content sitting around doingGod kept sending her hunches and thoughts and she
absolutely nothing.was more thanwilling to receive them. She discovered
He has made up his mind that he is not going to lookwhat her talent was and took action to put it to good
for a job until his unemployment is about to run out.use. She will never have to worry about a termination
The pay is not what he's use to receiving, but thatletter again.
along with the money he has saved up over the years