I received a bit of a shock today. Because I have been off of work for 4 weeks, due to a workplace injury that occurred a year ago this week, my pay has been cut by 66% for the next fortnight. OMG was my initial feeling, and the next was how are we going to make our mortgage payment?The first thing Kim and I have confirmed is that we can survive, meet our debt obligations, and live quite comfortably for the next few weeks. The energy bills are cheap as chips due to the solar installations for hot water and power, the food bills are nearly non-existent due to stockpiling, home grown produce and home cooking, and we don’t have a huge mortgage and didn’t buy a two storey McMansion like most of the new homes being built these days. So we are better off than most, and at least we have developed the life skills necessary for this kind of emergency.
What really strikes home the most, is that we only panicked for about 10 minutes, then did some sums in our heads and figured out that all would be fine, and that all the decisions over the last two years have been leading up to this one instance in time. It is as if the Universe is trying to tell us something, just like Nelson has told me before!
Kim mentioned to me that if this had have happened about three years ago, we would have been up the creek without a paddle, as we were living from pay to pay, with credit card debt up to our eyeballs. As Carl Jung surmised many years ago, that we attract the experiences we need in our lives. Now, when I first heard that phrase, I didn’t understand, but now that I look at the world in a different way, I see that it is quite true. Amazing stuff really.
Anyway, I started back in the office today, starting off with 1 four hour day this week, mainly because I have an MRI tomorrow and Neurosurgeon appointment on Friday. I will be telecommuting for 4 hours on Thursday. Next week is pretty much the same, as my injury management team and I think it is best to return to work slowly than try and attempt full days straight away. A wise move indeed, because when I got home today I was knackered and had to go to bed for the rest of the afternoon. It will take a bit of getting used to, and I dare say that after two more trips to Melbourne and back this week, I will be a mess by Friday night.
Here is to good news medically and a relaxing weekend, I hope!
Congrats on succfully navigating what turned out to be for you guys , just another little speedbump in the highway of life.
Great to see you doing a slow return to work mate.
Keep up the good work my friends.
Tip for Eco Boy…if your a junk mail junkie.. use the junkmail after you have read it as weed mat or mulch..or make paper mache fire bricks etc
Perspective and optimism are very powerful tools. Onya Greenings!
somethings in life are made to test us. and you have passed the test.
I also believe that we attract the experiences we need (which includes meeting certain people). Some experiences are fleeting, some longer lasting but they all help us on our pathes IF we’re willing to listen to the lessons and learn from them. It isn’t always easy though, but maybe it isn’t meant to be.
I still have a great deal to struggle with, especially health wise, but I know I only have myself to blame for my ‘problems’. I didn’t listen to the lessons when I should have.