I was successful at my job . I worked very hard , but it offered me and my family a fabulous (极好的) lifestyle . I’d worked for the same company for twenty years and had worked my way up to department director. However, one afternoon last May, I was called to the office, and it was gently explained to me that they were letting me go. I just sat there as they talked on and all I could think was, “I’ve failed .” I’d been so well respected ; suddenly I was of no value.
For six weeks, I was in a very dark place. I wandered around my house like a zombie (僵尸).I could see things needed doing, but would not do anything . My beliefs in looking forward and seeing the positive(积极的) in everything deserted me .
Then, in late June, my youngest son’s football team made the city cup final . The year before, he’d been very sad when I missed the same final , so he was delighted when I told him I’d go . Not only did they win , but the look on his face as he saw me cheering him on was unbelievable . From then in , I spent the summer enjoying my sons and their passions (激情) . I attended match after match and performances of my elder son’s band —I even went to another city to watch him play . These moments were so meaningful . My life had been so much devoted to work for so long , and I felt thankful that my sons were happy to welcome me into their world.
Unexpected, being unemployed gave me back a sense of purpose — I was someone’s mum! I felt a sense of being valued again. Now I feel more positive about my professional future and I’m getting on better with my family than I ever have. Losing my job made me realize just how important it is to achieve real balance in life.

我事业成功、虽然工作很辛苦，但回馈我和我家人的是一种极好的生活方式。我曾在一家公司从头一直干到部门主管。然而，在去年五月的某一天下午，我被叫到办公室并且被悄悄告知，他们让我走人。他们一边不断解释着而我就坐在那儿。脑子只想一件事：“我完了”。我一直倍受尊敬，顷刻之间变得毫无价值。
之后的整整六个星期，我神情沮丧。我在屋里晃来晃去像一具僵尸。我看见有些事需要做了，但就是什么也不想做。一切向前看并乐见事物积极的一面，我的这些信条也离我而去。
然后，到六月末，我小儿子所在的足球队闯入城市杯决赛，前一年，我错过了同样的杯赛使他非常伤心。因此，当我告诉他我去看他比赛时，他万分高兴。他们球队不仅打赢了比赛，而且当我儿子看到我在为他欢呼喝彩时，他脸上的表情令人难以置信。从那之后，整个夏天我一直享受着和我儿子们在一起的时光并感受着他们的激情。我看了一场又一场的球赛。也看了我大儿子所在乐队的演出，我甚至赶到另一座城市去看他的演奏。那些日子真有意义。过去我一直扑在工作上。我很感激孩子们乐意欢迎我进入他们的世界。
出人意料的是，失业唤回了我的归属感------我是孩子的母亲！我再次有了受人重视的感觉。现在我对自己未来的工作抱有更积极的态度。我和家人相处融洽关系比以往更好了。失业这件事让我幡然醒悟：寻求事业和生活之间各取所得的平衡是多么的重要。