About 5 months ago I accepted a job working for the US Census Bureau it was not something I had planned on.
I had spent my entire working career in fashion, but the world had turned upside down, jobs had disappeared and I wanted to work.
I suddenly found myself in a strange alien world of many forms and initials.. Nothing was ever called what it was. The office was the LCO my boss was a CL his boss was an FOS. To my complete surprise I loved what I was doing and went to work with a happy attitude that I did not have in the fashion industry. Yes I was making 75 percent less a week, but people were grateful that I was doing an excellent job and I had more thanks you's in five months then I had in my 20 year career in fashion.
My job was to interview households. I worked in two very different categories the first was in the multi million dollar homes of Fifth Ave. The second category was in tenements in some very poor sections of East Harlem. At first I was a little scared to go into an area I had never been, but I discovered another strange thing.
The residents of the million dollar homes were on the whole not very easy to deal with, but when I got to the less fortunate tenants in East Harlem everyone and I mean everyone was so nice. I came home telling my friends this, and this past Sunday in the NY Times an article appeared on how when it comes to charity the poor are much more proportionally generous then the rich. Of course it is the rich who can give the big donations but it turned out percent wise charity to earnings the poor win.
I started watching begging on the subway and realized it was the poorly dressed who would give money not the riders in their designer clothing.
Because I was so happy at my job, when the Census recently terminated 150,000 employees and kept 60 employees, (not a typo) I was one of the 60. So I discovered what I never had realized before that making big money is not the only key to happiness.
I certainly no longer have the buying power I used to have but like the residents in the tenements I am happier and more generous in my life then when I was bringing home the big bucks.
Heloise Lissauer
2 comments:
What a delightful piece of writing.
Like you I had a very successful career in the music industry, but it was full of not very nice people.
I also had a best friend (who I must phone one of these days), Alana Aldrich, designer of multi-million selling jeans. Met a few not very nice people through her, as well as some good ones. One in particular though I really, really disliked. She was forever going on about the Gucci this or the expensive brand of something, she had just bought in Paris. I told Alana after she invited me to dinner one more time without telling me that this unpleasant woman would also be there, that the next time, I would simply arrive and tell her I was not staying! That did the trick.
You are so right. It is the people without too much who give to others that have even less. Just recently (and not to praise myself) saw a man evidently in distress and bought him food and energy drink and water, then found out he's a VA, so is helped by them - they're good. But he probably gets more than I do!
However, I do it for myself and not just for them.
Once out walking my beloved shepherd, who I still miss dreadfully every day, I saw a woman laying on the sidewalk. I walked up to her, although I tried really hard not to, because I kept being warned I had to take care of myself first. Anyway, I went to her and asked if she was okay. Her response was hysterically funny to me: "Well, I would be if people didn't keep waking me up!"
Thanks for your blog. Food for thought as I am about to start a blog myself. It's been a while
Heloise,
You have always been a kind and generous person. The fashion biz is a tough industry and far too many people forget their manners, not to mention they lose sight of what is really important in life.
One day, we all leave fashion behind, just as one day we all leave this life behind.
The only thing that matters in the end is how we treat one another.
The only thing that matters is love.
For believing in me at a time when I needed it most and for your kindness and generosity, I shall always wish you love.
-joseph-
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