I met an executive who was laid off from his job last year. He was VP at a publicly traded healthcare company. He had worked for them the better part of two decades. Then his job was eliminated.
Of course, he was upset and flustered. Wasn’t his strong performance enough? Didn’t his long history with the company mean anything?
But in that moment, he told me, he felt prompted to email the CEO. They had been good friends and colleagues for more than 25 years.
Now the email wasn’t to unload his frustrations. It wasn’t to ask for another position or to call in a personal favor. No, it was to thank him and express appreciation for their time working together.
As he explained, that simple act of grace kept him from growing bitter. It didn’t change any external circumstances. Things were what they were. But it was transformative for him internally. It gave him peace to move on.
May we also respond to life with grace, even when facing unforeseen troubles. Perhaps especially in those times. For our own good.
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