The day I lost my job still sits heavy with me. What hurt far more than the layoff itself was seeing some coworkers quietly celebrate it. I had put years into that place. I showed up early, stayed late, and took on extra work without being asked. When someone was out, I covered their shifts. I brought ideas, helped on projects, and never made a fuss about overtime. I honestly thought loyalty and effort would count for something.
Then management called me in. They said my role was being cut. No warning, no real explanation. The loss of income scared me, of course. But the real sting came afterward, watching people I considered teammates react. There were quick glances and small smiles they tried to hide. A few sent short “sorry to hear” messages that felt empty. Whispers stopped when I walked past. Some looked almost relieved.
I barely slept that week. I kept running through every detail, trying to figure out what I’d done wrong. Rent was due. Bills kept coming. Life didn’t pause. Telling my family was hard. Friends asked questions I didn’t want to answer. I stayed off social media for weeks. Seeing former colleagues post about new wins, as if I’d never been part of them, was too much. To read more https://drbokko.com/?p=37164
