From BusinessWeek, a Dear John letter to a former boss points out a good thing about being laid off: you get a life (and also spend way too much time with your family):
We thought this layoff would be a crushing financial blow and opted to hand-make all of our Christmas gifts. They were a huge hit with our family and friends and we spent several wonderful days together as a family creating them. We didn’t at all miss the experience of circling the mall for hours looking for a parking spot. The kids didn’t sit on Santa’s lap at Macy’s but we did run into him at a neighborhood ice hockey game and snapped a photo. I’ll mail you one.
[...] With no last-minute time crunches at the office, my kids don’t think that food comes from a box in the freezer. We cook food that looks like the way it naturally grew. I have more peace of mind than I can ever remember. I’m reading books for fun; I’m indulging in hobbies and spending time with friends and family. I’ve reconnected with old friends and I volunteer with causes that are important to me.
This is the most rewarding period of my life, ever.
As the author of this piece, if you knew my family, you’d know there’s *no such thing* as too much time with them. They’re amazing.
I am honored to have the author of a such a poignant piece comment on the same piece on my blog.
And yes, I am sure your family is amazing (but I would say the same about my own, so…)