Cautious Expectations

For the last month the office has been shrouded in a ghostly silence. People gather in clumps, whispering in hushed tones, often with red puffy eyes. The dread is so thick you could actually feel it and the silence is deafening. The doom and gloom is so heavy, I didn't think I would survive the first two weeks. My co-workers and I complained of stomachs being in nervous knots and the fog from being sleep deprived. Everyday there is a new rumor.... Some believable, some pretty far fetched. The first couple of weeks, I made motivational posters for each one in my department. Some were funny, some were just for encouragement. I think we've finally

gotten over the shock of possibly losing our jobs and have settled in to an uncomfortable rhythm of maintaining the best we can, carrying on our daily tasks as well as the additional tasks we've been asked to do to prepare for the changes. The one good thing that has come out of this is... We appreciate each other more AND we truly appreciate our jobs and the pleasure we have had to work in such a family oriented environment. It's hard to imagine working any place else, or for anyone else. The comforting thing about working for this company is, I always thought they had a vested interest in not only the business, but in the community as a whole. Having been here for 90 years, the company and

the family are a part of the bedrock of our town.  They have raised their children here, buried their long passed loved ones, built museums and other amazing facilities. The town of Duncan has the distinct stamp of generations of this amazing family on our community and beyond. It's a sad thought that what has been our security is now being taken away. Prayer changes things, and a lot of people are praying that this will have a happy ending for the employees and the community. The prayers help us to survive each day with cautious expectations that without faith, we wouldn't have.