by Levi Samuel
In my personal life, I ran into a string of deaths over the past few months. Too many people I liked and cared about passed to the afterlife, which can have some troubling effects. It’s something we all have to deal with from time to time. And while I’m not overly effected by the prospect of death, it still makes one question life. Am I doing it right? Is this really important enough to sacrifice time with my daughter and friends? How do I make this happen faster so I can enjoy my life? These are just a few examples that have passed through my mind over the last few months. And while the questions are numerous, I’ve noticed the prospect of death makes me impatient and less calculating. I’m willing to take greater risks in order to achieve my goals when I start thinking about the loss of friends or family. But that’s because I want to reach my comfort zone as fast as possible so I can live a full and comfortable life sooner, rather than later.
After one such chain of deaths and the thoughts that proceeded, I came to the conclusion that I was done working for someone else. I’ve never been fond of the traditional employment arrangement in the first place. It’s not that I don’t get along with them, simply that I don’t agree with working as hard they require, for such little pay. It’s that whole trading time of your life for small sums of money that I have a problem with. And depending on the industry you’re in, you have to contend with injury or death, dirt, grease, or germs, not to mention all the time you sacrifice away from the people you care about in order to pay for a house you barely have time to live in, or the luxuries you barely have time to use. Yet if you don’t pay them, it won’t take long until you lose them. It’s a broken system. We aren’t meant work our asses off just to pay bills and die. Yet that’s what our society demands we do to survive. And frankly, I’m sick of it. It’s not that I’m lazy, or don’t want to work. I just feel that if I’m going to work that hard, I’d rather do it for myself. At least then I can make full profit, opposed to making a few pennies from someone who’s making dollars from my contributions. So, I decided I’d had enough. I weighed my options and came up with a plan. I had some money saved up for such a purpose and I decided it was time to use it.
I put my two-weeks’ notice in at my job, using my writer’s flair to write the most kick-ass resignation letter I could come up with. Seriously, almost everyone who read it had to complement me on it. I thought that was pretty awesome. Anyway, I breezed through the first week with minimal interference. It wasn’t until the third day of the second week that the news circulated the entire company. The owner wouldn’t talk to me, my direct boss wished me the best, though he wanted me to stay, and his boss decided I was too valuable to lose. So, he called a meeting of the managers and they came up with a plan to get me to stay. When I was called into the office, the day before my scheduled last day, they made me a few offers. I considered each one and added my own opinions. In the end, we agreed on a three-day workweek, which was enough to keep my regular bills paid, and allow me the time I needed to distribute my books during normal business hours, which I desperately needed. When you have to scrub your skin with a stiff bristled brush every day just to make it look somewhat clean, trying to do such things after work is extremely difficult to manage. I now had time to build my writing career beyond what I’d already accomplished, and I felt better almost instantly. I have much smaller paychecks, but I have more time to control my income with my books, which is the goal. And once I’m able to fully replace my income, I’m sure I’ll reconvening my decision to step away. But for right now, things are working in a manner to keep everyone happy.
Anyway, here’s to new and enjoyable books. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. And if you’d be so kind, I would appreciate you leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other authorized retailer. Reviews are the new word of mouth, and I need your help to reach more people. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to bringing you more books in the near future.
Levi Samuel
October 2017 - Originally Written
October 2018 - Revised
