“I am sorry Laila, but we cannot keep you in this company anymore. Only a handful of employees have been retained by the management and the rest have been asked to leave. Unfortunately, I am sorry to tell you that you are one of those asked to leave.”

This was how Laila’s day had started. Heartbroken and upset, Laila went home and cried her heart out. It was her dream to work in this company and, after a lot of hardship, she had gained employment in it. She couldn’t believe they were plnning to restructure the whole company and there was no place for her in it.

After one week of wanting to barely get out of bed, one evening Laila received a surprising call from one of her old friends.

“Hello Laila! How have you been? I called to say how sorry I was to hear about your job,” Sarah said.

It was her dream to work in this company and, after a lot of hardship, she gained employment in it. She couldn’t believe they were planning to restructure the whole company and there was no place for her in it.

“I have seen better days, Sarah. I feel useless at home now. Hopefully, I’ll start looking up for a new job soon,” Laila replied honestly.

“Hey, listen, I don’t know if you are aware, but I have recently started an NGO. It’s been doing very well and I would love to have you on board!”

Laila wasn’t surprised at the sweet offer. Sarah was the kindest person Laila had ever met, always going out of her way to help her friends and family.

“I am so grateful for the offer. Surely I’ll think about it and inform you,” Laila replied politely, both intrigued and confused. Laila was unsure about the offer as any job compared to her job at her dream company sounded insignificant. However, after thinking a lot, Laila finally called Sarah to tell her that she would like to join her.

Soon Laila joined Sarah’s NGO. Days passed and Laila was surprised that her new job made her happy and was more satisfying than the last job. And the main reason was that Laila found herself making a real difference in the lives of many children and their families. Over time, Laila became immersed in the NGO’s activities and discovered that she was more passionate about creating a positive impact, rather than sitting in an office and working nine to five just for a heavy pay check at the end of the month.

Laila realised that being laid off from her dream company was, in fact, a blessing in disguise. It allowed her to discover her passion and begin a journey towards making a positive impact. She also realised that true happiness and fulfilment in life come not from chasing material gains, but from doing something meaningful and impactful.

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 18th, 2024