A year ago today, I was flying into Las Vegas. I left everything I knew for a fresh start in a new city.
2002, Doug and I moved to Las Vegas. We absolutely LOVED this city because of the constant sunshine and the incredible financial opportunities it provided. The only thing that we did NOT like were the people. Maybe it was just the type of employment I had chosen that led us to meet certain types of people..... That I will never know......
Our problem with this city was the Fast paced lifestyle and the personalities in it. It seemed to be that the large majority of people in Las Vegas were extremely - Aggressive, Greedy, Materialistic, Superficial and they NEVER lived in the moment. There was no appreciation for life and today's breath we were taking.
Eventually, we transformed into one of those people. We could feel it, it pushed us apart and it led us in different directions. That's when we decided to go back to Buffalo for a bit. *(2004)*
At my grandmothers grave, I asked her to give me a sign or point me in the direction that I should travel. When I pulled out of her cemetery, I was in my 1st ever car crash. We stayed in Buffalo for treatment of my injuries over that next year........................................ 11 months later, I was doing fantastic and ready to move back to Las Vegas. That was our only goal - move back to Las Vegas. 4 days prior to moving, I was in a very horrific, near fatal car crash with my father. That day has forever changed my life. I went through another year of rehab for the injuries. I realized that moving back to Vegas should NOT be my only goal and that I needed to look at the bigger picture..................... I was ALIVE! and I was going to find a way to ensure others did NOT endure pain from Car Crashes!!! I put my all into a traffic safety campaign.
Finally, it came to be "my" time....I had realized that I lost all of my self-esteem in those car crashes. Every ounce of self-esteem was crushed. Therefore, I was too scared to find a job in Buffalo b/c I thought I'd never get hired! That left my husband, Douglas, to care for everything. I basically shut myself off and made him take care of everything for a year or two.
Because of that, we started to experience shut off notices....for the electric, the water, the gas and so on. Then the debt just kept building....and building...... Yet, I still didn't help b/c I had no self-esteem and thought no one would hire me - truly thought I was not good enough or pretty enough.
Finally one day last September (2008), more shut off notices.... I cried and remembered how fantastic our life was in Las Vegas and every bone in my body was telling me to go back. I told Doug that I would go back to Vegas, get a job save the money and move us out west again.
Doug won a football pool @ work, and 2 days later I was on a plane to Vegas with 3 suitcases and a heart full of hope. 4 months later, I had saved $10k.......he drove across country and we were finally re-united in a city that once gave us so much financial security and sunshine......
I am proud to say that we did it, we made it back to a city that we left in such a rush. Seeing my husband for the 1st time in 4 months was the most exhilarating feeling ever!!! Our love was expanded to higher levels and our appreciation for each other was overwhelming.
*seeing doug for the 1st time in 4 months!*
We've done so many wonderful things since he's been here and for 1 entire year, we've experienced a life of NO FINANCIAL stress! I have a fabulous job and great health insurance! :-)
I have had $23,500.00 in Re-constructive Dental work here in Las Vegas...NO DOCTOR in Buffalo would do the work - Since having this done, I have been 100% TMJ pain free!!!!!! The feeling is absolutely incredible and the ability to live my life is glorious!
Doug has attended and finished classes for something that we could not afford to send him to back in Buffalo.
My self-esteem has been restored
The feeling of "giving up"/ "shutting down" is NO longer an option............
Unfortunately, since Doug has been here, he has felt the impact of the recession on the city of Las Vegas. After repeated interviews he has not been hired yet. My job is incredible, the financial security it provides allows my income to pay for everything BUT that is NOT what he is looking to do. Doug really wants to work.
With that said, It has made us realize that it is NOT about how much money you make, what car you drive or what materialistic things you posses. Life (as a couple) is about what we accomplish in our combined efforts.
When I was 1st hired @ the Wynn, I was working in Parasol. It was the most incredible group of women & managers...(maybe 1 or 2 out of the 40/50 of us were the greedy, materialistic type) The rest of the group was down to earth, sweet and genuine! I LOVED that job and NEVER loved a job more in my life!!!
Then March 1st came along and I was transferred. I have NEVER hated a job more in my life. There are only 3 of us that work out at this position and one of my co-workers is the most aggressive, greedy, materialistic, hostile, superficial individual I have ever met.
The stress of her hostile attitude & the lack of management to correct her bullying actions, caused me to develop an Ulcer and further testing revealed a Hiatal Hernia. The hostile environment on a daily basis was absolutely too much to handle and the decline of my physical health was proving that!
And that is why I say I believe that everything happens for a reason............
When I worked inside @ Parasol, I had never been happier. NEVER........ I LOVED the girls & management I worked with and could have never found sweeter people than them. I could NOT picture my life any other way - I was going to retire here!
THEN - I was suddenly removed from that group and transferred.........
It was an abrupt reminder that most in this city do have a superficial, greedy, materialistic and aggressive attitude. Most are in such an alarming rush and never live for the moment. Life is and always will be only about themselves.
Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
Albert Einstein
