"Goodbye, Party"

It’s the end of an era. On January 28^th, 2019, I received the news I had been dreading for some time. I’ve been downsized. After 20 years at AT&T, I have been let go. My last day on the payroll is March 29^th, just five years shy of being fully vested in my Pension plan. What a gut punch! But, there is a way to handle this news, and a way not to handle it. Let me explain.

Some of you may remember the days of the party line. You know, a phone line that was shared with a neighbor? You would pick up the phone and say “Hello, party” to make sure it wasn’t in use already before making a call. Now that’s going back quite a few years, but, trust me, it was a thing. It even pre-dates ME. Boy, have times changed over the years. Technology has evolved and we now have a handheld PC in our pocket. These devices run on microwaves and spectrum, instead of wires. As such, the need for copper wiring for telecommunications has all but completely vanished. Fiber optic cabling is still needed to furnish the infrastructure that runs the cell towers and to provide high speed data circuits to homes and businesses, but it requires much less maintenance. And the more of it we have put in the ground over the years, the less of it we need to place for the future. Which leads me to my real point.

AT&T, once the largest telecommunications company on the planet, has shifted their primary focus. After purchasing Time-Warner last year, they have positioned themselves in the Entertainment and Advertising business. And, as you might expect, they have decided to invest much less Capital in telephony and data, in order to concentrate on the new shiny object, Time Warner. Less Capital investment, less cable, less engineering, and ultimately less head count required.

You go through a lot of different emotions when something like this happens. At first, I was nonchalant about it. I very calmly accepted the news and the package full of “assistance” paperwork and went on about the rest of my day. Then came the anger and resentment. I started out 20 years ago as a cable splicing technician, working outside in the hottest summer sun, climbing poles in sub-zero temperatures in the coldest of winters. I also have many scars from various cuts and bruises over the years. Eventually I worked my way up to management and became a crew foreman and ultimately a design engineer. I put in the work, excelled at my job, and was rewarded for my efforts. Now, I think to myself…… “Twenty years of blood, sweat and tears, and this is the thanks I get? A swift kick in the pant seat?” After a couple of days, comes the panic, or as I like to call it, the “what the holy hell am I supposed to do now?” phase. Eventually, acceptance and reality kick in and you begin to weigh your options. How does one start over at 47, after spending twenty years building a reputation, a work ethic and a very specific skill set? Then you look at what you stand to lose in terms of your long-anticipated pension and retirement benefits. The reality hits you like a cold, howling wind in a snowstorm. This is where you have a choice to make. You get to choose how you respond. And how you respond in the face of adversity will display your true character.

Many others in my current situation have basically shut down. A few haven’t even been in the office at all since they got the news, leaving others to pick up their slack. And who can blame them? One person actually joked out loud about shooting up the place. Needless to say, that individual won’t be setting foot on company property anymore. Well, that’s one way to play it, I suppose. But, I think it best to handle this a little differently than the others. One of my colleagues approached me at my desk the other day and asked me why I was still hammering away at a design I was working on. He was perplexed that I was even in the office, let alone, still doing my job. But, the way I see it, I’m still collecting a paycheck. And as long as I am, I have an obligation to earn that paycheck by continuing to do my job to the best of my ability. So again, as is always the case in life, it’s all about choices. And I choose to do the right thing. But I also had to choose an appropriate emotional response. I chose prayer and reflection. And through this, I have been able to see how truly blessed I have been over the last 20 years. As difficult as it is in this moment, this company kept me working steadily for twenty years, putting a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothing and comfort, education for my children, vacations……the list goes on and on. It gave me the ability to provide for my family abundantly. It gave us security. For these things, I am truly blessed. I was also reminded of the Lord’s promise to us in the book of Matthew 6:25-34, one of my all-time favorite passages…

                25  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about          your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[5]? 28  "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? 31  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The reality of it all is daunting, yes. After all, I had it all planned out. I was going to retire at 57, then move to Florida and work part time to supplement my retirement income. We would be able to enjoy retirement. We would be able to travel. We would be able to have a place close to Disney World for our future grandchildren to come and visit. I really had it planned well. The problem is, those were MY plans. God had other plans. While I still have no idea how this will ultimately play out, I am blessed to have the comfort of knowing that God’s plan for my life is perfect. So, it is now my job to continue to try to live, work and act according to His will, to be faithful and thankful for the many blessings we have received over the years. The rest will take care of itself. It may not be easy. There may be a tough lesson to be learned. It may require us to re-evaluate our priorities and downsize our lifestyle. Maybe not. Maybe there is yet another incredible blessing coming that we just don’t have the knowledge of, yet.

Here is what I DO know. Wherever this takes us. And whatever it costs us, the price is nothing compared to the price He paid on the cross for us. His promises are written in His blood. They are real. They are ALWAYS kept. Our plans are not His plans. Our plans are fallible. His plans are perfect. Please pray for those affected, who don’t know the Grace of God. I can’t imagine going through something like this with an empty, hopeless heart. Please pray for Richelle and I as we take a new path to His will. Don’t pray for a job or money or that we will be financially stable and secure. Instead, please pray that the Lord will light the path and that He will make it clear to us which path we are to take in order to remain in His perfect will. Regardless, the cost, this is the way I am to respond to this adversity. It is the way we should all respond.

So, “Goodbye, Party” It’s been a good run. Now let’s see what awesome opportunities God will provide, next!

 

Thanks for reading,

Drew