In my previous article, I talked about my first full-time job in Canada. Getting that job was important for me in many ways.
I may have mentioned how I was low on confidence after leaving my first job as an editor. In Canada, perhaps because of how the Canadian job market works, or perhaps because of how employers behave in the job market, my confidence didn’t improve. I was only reluctantly active in editing associations. I was relying on freelance work here and there. I even did a couple of odd jobs before Scribendi offered me a full-time role.
At that point, given that I was on a work permit and not yet a Canadian permanent resident, getting a full-time job - in my own occupation, no less - was a big deal. Although I knew the job won’t be all that different from what I’d done before, it was a step in the right direction.
I moved out to Ontario, where the bulk of Canadian publishers exist. I met some really nice people in my colleagues. In fact, once again, I made some good friends. The job, however, didn’t pan out all that nicely. For one, COVID hit us just over three months into my job. Although we started working from home with the idea that we’ll return to our office sooner rather than later, I never went back into the office. And eventually I was let go in the summer of 2020.
After moving back to Edmonton, and deciding to stay there for the foreseeable future, I decided to live the life that was waiting for me. It was difficult initially. I’d lost a job I valued. And although Chatham, or even Edmonton for that matter, doesn’t have a high cost of living, I’d spent a considerable amount of money on moving across the country and back. Considerable for me, at least, at that point in my life.
So once back in Edmonton, I dug deep and decided to do what I do best. I continued editing, even while looking for a job. I took on freelance work, contract work, one-off work, whatever I could find. And once I found out I was going to be a father, a sense of tenacity took over me. I’m not sure what it is about being a father, but a lot of men somehow go into a form of autopilot, where difficult circumstances don’t affect us as much as they would normally. For me, knowing I’m entering fatherhood pronounced my stoicism. No full-time job. No parents or relatives coming over during pregnancy to help because of the COVID-related flight ban. Working long hours AND committing to continuous professional development because I really did want to build an editing business. Every time I found myself doubting or questioning myself, another part of me said, “I’ll manage.”
I knew that I had to put in the work. The results will follow, I was sure. After a couple of relatively quiet months, I started having one busy week after another. And just like the rest of the world, I found 2020 to be, well, let’s say “out of the ordinary” instead of “way out of whack.” It had a promising start, it went on a shit-ward spiral, then it completely lost its shit, but it ended on a promising note. That’s quite a few leaps for a leap year, I’d say. I had one of my busiest Decembers in a long time. And those who know me know that I find solace in chaos.
I looked forward to 2021 as the year I would meet my first child, as the year I would grow as a professional, as the year I would learn more about myself. But I also looked forward to 2021 as the year I would continue to dig deep and keep doing what I did. Day in and day out.
A bit like Steve Waugh against the mighty West Indies in 1995, I wasn't about to back down from this life challenge. When life threw me a bouncer and stared down at me, I stared back and said, "Get back and bowl."
Or perhaps a bit like Sachin Tendulkar against Pakistan in 1989. When life hit me on the chin, I refused to go back into my shell and instead declared, "मैं खेलेगा" - "I'll play on."
Write a comment