Why are you holding up the line?

I used to be one of those: people that make faces or get exasperated when someone in front of you, be it at the supermarket, stores or wherever, holds the line without knowing the real reason for it. Today, I was one of those that held up the line at the supermarket. Doesn't life have a funny sense of humor?

I, like many people, always vowed to not use Governmental help; that I would always work for everything and there would be no need.  Sure, I even have thought that some people that seek this assistance are just lazy or are trying to take advantage of the system by lying or having babies left and right. Guess what? We have had to seek Government assistance and the least thing we are is lazy people.

I am not going to lie. I have struggled with this everyday since August. How can someone with so much studies and titles be seeking for help? Well, I have titles and studies and I am admitted to practice in P.R., but not in the States; my husband is studying full-time at the Seminary and works in whatever little extra time he has; we have a baby; and I cannot even find a job as a paralegal, nanny at daycare or in photography, which are the things I know. This was not how it was supposed to be - at least in my mind! I would graduate from my LL.M., take my Bar, and within a few months I would be working and cashing in the money. Not anymore. We were working on our budget the other day and we realized that it barely leaves us anything to buy groceries, let alone other things that are necessary.

This said, we applied for WIC since I am breastfeeding and we qualified. Thanks to WIC, I was able to buy some groceries today and saved almost $50. However, that made me hold the line. And I had people after me, making faces and talking among themselves as I tried to do everything as fast as I could. Interestingly enough the hold up was not due to me being slow, but the cash register registering the WIC checks. I was hurt and felt embarrassed by holding up the line, but then and there I realized the mistake I made many times before:  talking without knowing the truth behind it (like the people on line were doing): that even though I have applied to MANY jobs, I'm struggling to find a job in this tough economy and the only way to provide for my family for the time being, is to get on Government assistance.

So, the teaching (or moraleja like we say in Spanish): not everyone on Government help, is lazy or is trying to take advantage of the program and other taxpayer's money. Some people are really struggling and trying to make ends meet. And as soon as I am able to, I will stop using the help because I still believe that God has a purpose in all of this and I will find a job soon (even though sometimes I struggle and think that God has forgotten about us).

Too bad it does not rain Money. 

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