Institutionalized

A couple of the "crew members" at TRADER JOE'S were discussing how long they had been working there yesterday. They both claimed to be "institutionalized" after their 8-10 years of working there. It made me think about the fact that I had been working there a month, and I was already looking forward to getting out.

I don't know how people do what they do. If nothing else this little bout of fringe living has left me completely humbled by other people. I must be a pretty big bitch to want to actually enjoy my job. You can learn a lot by just paying attention to the people or situations that you would have otherwise overlooked. More often than not there is somebody making a lot less than you, that didn't go to college, but they probably have the same skill set, if not more skills than you. The only thing that may seperate you two is the support you recieved from others, a single choice you made when you were 18-19, or some amount of luck.

To be honest I think luck is not that random. Good things usually come to those who have prepared well. Still, the notion of being "institutionalized" by Trader Joe's is probably more accurate than we realize. Life is a series of cycles. I think life is chaotic enough as it is that we try to control our situations as much as possible. While these guys are smart enough and hard working enough to find other work they have grown comfortable with their situation and see changing it as a risky task.

This is something that happens quite a bit in many parts of our lives. Government is one area that comes to my mind. Elected officials often "go along to get along", and nothing really gets done. Change is hard, really hard. Especially when the direction is unclear. I know that I am a lot more comfortable when I know I have a deadline, or a finishing point. Things are easy when you can see the finish line, but constantly working towards an end you aren't really sure of is a difficult endeavor.

Really there is no way of knowing how life will end up. You can only give it your best shot. Hopefully, without getting to institutionalized along the way.