"Are you crazy?!???!?" was one of the first remarks Jimmy was treated to during Thanksgiving dinner went he broke the news to his relatives about resigning after about two years working for a well established law firm. Jimmy was going to become an insurance agent.
Other comments Jimmy got thrown at with:
"Why are you taking so much risk coming out?"
"Changing career when times are so bad? What's wrong with you?"
"What were you thinking when you handed in your resignation letter?"
"Did the stress at work get to your head?"
Ironically when most of us would have thought your relatives should be the ones supporting you and giving you some form of encouragement. Not for Jimmy though. Although he did expect some negative comments, he clearly wasn't ready for this much.
That very night after the dinner, Jimmy went up to the house roof and just sighed while looking up into the starry night. He just sighed, "I sure as hell better make sure I do well out there! The last thing I want to hear is 'I told you so' from all of them."
While Jimmy was lying down on the cool roof tiles, his father went up to join him in the cool night. "You came up here to tell me I have lost my mind as well?", Jimmy asked.
"No son, if I was going to do that, I'd just yell from down there and make sure the neighbours hear it!", chuckled his father.
Jimmy just brushed it off, "Very funny dad. Very funny."
"Son, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling a pinch of disappointment knowing you are not going to continue your career in law. After all, I did use my hard earn money for that piece of paper you got hanging in your room. But I am happy my son has got the guts to come out and challenge status quo", said Jimmy's father.
Jimmy looked at his father, "Really?".
Jimmy's father gave an approving nod and said, "Yup! Wouldn't lie to my own son now would I? Unless I might just cheer you up enough for you to say you'd pay me back for the money spent on your tuition fees.", as he laughed it off.
Jimmy couldn't help but laughed, "Why you stingy old fart! Hahahahahahahaha........." Laughing until his stomach ached, he said, "Thanks dad. You supporting my decision means a lot to me. Really."
Jimmy's dad looked up at sky and said, "Take a look at the sky kid. What do you see?"
Jimmy took a good look at the sky, "It's a beautiful night filled with stars."
"Heck of a lot of starts up there ain't it?", Jimmy's father asked. "But the skies isn't just telling you how beautiful it is, it tells you and me a whole lot more than that. It tells us, the stars are just like opportunities - it is limitless! This whole world doesn't revolve around one opportunity Jimmy, it revolves around opportunities. You just need to go out there and grab it with your two bare hands. Opportunities don't come to you son, you've got to reach out to them like your life depends on it."
Jimmy nodded in agreement, "Just like you came out on your own to start your own food business. Don't recall your brother being eclectic about it."
"He sure didn't share my enthusiasm. More than anything else he said I was crazy to leave my high paying job as a general manager. But if I hadn't come out on my own I wouldn't have had quality time with you or your mom. The flexibility it gave me, gave me more opportunities to be with you guys and do other things I like to. I had more time to go fishing as well.", replied Jimmy's father.
Jimmy nodded approvingly, "Definitely looking forward to a brand new, fresher life compared to the long hours I am putting into my job."
"Go on out there and enrich people's lives with your insurance policies son. Don't hold back and make the best of yourself! Alright, let's get the hell back inside the house before both of us catch a cold.", Jimmy's father said.
Jimmy replied, "It's getting cold alright......... and dad, thanks again."
~Path of Time~ by Micky Foo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
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