Two blog posts within a month of each other? Unheard of.

Yet today of all days, I felt compelled to. Today is the anniversary of one of the toughest days I’ve ever had, which kicked off quite possibly my worst year.

October 16, 2017: The day I lost my job.

It was a regular day, nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing stood out. And then at the end of the day, I was called into the boss’ office and was told they were done with me. The whole reason I left my home and moved three provinces west, gone like it never happened.

In the months following, I found myself in a dark place. I stopped taking care of myself properly. I couldn’t fall asleep before 3 am without the help of sleep aids. At one point, I was working four part time jobs in order to make ends meet, and it still wasn’t enough to get me to a point where I had more than my head above water.

And yet the thing that hit me the most was losing my dog. This wonderful pup was the best part of my last 15 years on this planet. The love she had for my family was warm and never-ending, and we made sure to give it right back. She was never seriously ill, we took care of her injuries, and when it came time to say goodbye, we all knew it. To hear my parents tell it, I think she might have known too. Even as I write this, I struggle to fight back tears. She’s only been gone for three months and it still feels like yesterday.

But I think my future’s looking up. I’m back working full time (not in radio, but money’s money), I’m trying to live healthier, and I’m trying to get to a place in life where I’m happy. It’s a long road, but I’m getting there.

Slowly but surely.