Monday, May 11, 2009


Last week, my boyfriend, unhappy with his civil servant wages, bizarrely, landed himself with a second job in the evenings, thanks to previous experience in a bookies.

Life is looking up again and, even though I often lie awake thinking about my brothers, my mother and everyone in between, during the day I relax and try not to worry. Unfortunately, both of my brothers are now unemployed and for some reason, the lot of brother number one, sixteen months my junior and a 1st class graduate, is the one that upsets me more.

It saddens me to see that his talent may be wasted for the unforeseen future, his skills postponed till God-knows-when. Short of paying his rent all I can do is offer words of encouragement, be sure to buy him a few drinks and offer to keep him occupied with paid favours such as 'sorting out my iPod.

Still, since recovering from a deadly bout of Typhoid last year, he might just have a more positive perspective on unemployment... Indeed when the news last week of the flu pandemic spread, the first thing that came to my mind was that my forthcoming American holiday plans might have to be cancelled. Poor me, But there were people all over the world with no jobs and now many dropping like flies and here was I worried that my holiday plans might not transpire.

I felt guilty, but that's what happens when things are going well. Three months ago I could barely afford to travel across town for job interviews yet now I was irked that my holiday plans might be halted.

Ironically, within hours of the swine flu story, my boyfriend himself ended up in hospital... He had been complaining of feeling poorly for days so dragged himself to the doctor, struggling for energy and fear eroding his usually healthy spirit.

He was immediately transferred to hospital where he was diagnosed with a treatable but initially worrying virus. To see his health deteriorate so suddenly, gave us a both a reblast of perspective. We all need such reminders now and then.

Months ago I was worried about being jobless, now holidays and jobs were the furthest thing from my mind. While everyone thought the recession was the worst disaster that could hit us on a global scale, this deadly swine flu may now eclipse all financial woes, as people fall victim to it.

The old saying really is true: your health is your wealth, as is the health of your loved ones..

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