Self worth…priceless

Driving down interstate I-94 each day during rush hour traffic can be very frustrating. I try to take my mind off of the traffic by checking out the billboards that line the interstate. They change the billboards often, and it doesn’t take me long to notice that there are new ads. A few weeks ago I came across a billboard that said “Recession 101: Self worth beats net worth”.

I stared at the billboard for several seconds and read the sentence over again. Self worth beats net worth. Of course it does! It is a perfect reminder to those who have taken pay cuts or changed jobs due to the economy. Right now, many people are taking the first job they are offered, just so they can keep a roof over their head and food on the table. There are people with a Master’s degree who are applying for Bachelor’s level jobs. There are even people who are switching professions and taking major pay cuts.

The Salvation Army territorial office in Chicago graciously distributed funds to the Salvation Army units in Minnesota and North Dakota to use to help people who had been laid off from their jobs due to the downturn of the economy. Our office got a large chunk of funding. With this program, we are able to assist individuals with rent, pay a utility bill, or give several bus cards for job search or interviews. We even have Target giftcards to issue if clients need basics, such as personal hygiene or toilet paper.

One person that I helped was laid off of his job after 12 years. He relocated to Minneapolis, and was staying at an overnight shelter. He heard about the program through an acquaintance staying at the same shelter, and visited our office. He explained that another organization was helping him with his damage deposit, and he needed help with the first month’s rent because he was short due to the relocating fees. We were able to assist him with the first month’s rent, so now he is no longer homeless. We have helped a handful of people escape eviction with this funding when many other agencies will not help them due to income guidelines.

We must remind each other that your job is not who you are. It is a part of your life, but there are so many more important parts of your life that make you who you are. Family heritage, values, traditions, memories and other parts are more important than how much money you make at your job. Someone who is an executive at a large company and makes hundreds of thousands of dollars and has no support system can be one of the most miserable people on earth, while an auto mechanic who has good relationships with all of his family members and uses them as a support system can be the happiest man on earth.