Laid off

My mom had a very sad day today. She was "asked to retire" from her job of 25 years, without any prior warning. It was a huge shock to her.

I was with my dad when we picked her up from work, because we were going to take the kids to the candy store, and have dinner together. When we got to the candy store, my mom was quiet, and not enjoying herself. She typically loves shopping for all their gourmet foods from around the world. When we got back in the car, she was completely silent, which is so unlike her. She finally blurted out, "I lost my job."

I know this is happening to many people in our country right now, but it really hits hard when it's one of your own. My mom loved her job. She started working there when I was a toddler. She is such a dedicated, hard worker, and had many friends at work. To just be told to retire (a nice way of laying her off), effective immediately, was too much for her to process.

The business she worked for was struggling, and they cut back on every employee's hours, and I guess because of her age, seniority, and the fact that she made the most money, made her the first to go. The owner made it seem like he was doing her a favor by forcing her into retirement. He obviously didn't realize how much she holds the business together, and how much she loved working there.

I know she's going to be okay. She is fine, financially, but this was a big blow to her ego and the end of something she loved doing. She is not the type of person who will be able to sit around, and even at 63, she is nowhere near ready to retire. She will grieve for her old job for a while, but I know she's going to find something else and throw herself into it just as she always has.

I just wish there was something I could do to take her pain away. I hate to see my mom hurting.