It's been a busy and exhausting year and anxiety comes to visit at the worst times.

[Grandmaof3]

My job has been extremely busy. I work for an insurance company with offices across four states. We've vacated two of our larger buildings and downsized to smaller leased offices as so many of our employees work from home post-COVID. I work in facilities and maintenance so it's been a TON of work but we're at the end of it now. Due to this downsizing, four of my co-workers that are all with 5 years of retiring and have been here for over 20 -30 years were laid off effective year end. Having to say good-bye to people that are like family and I've worked with that long is emotionally very hard. Add in the holidays, just finding out my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter was just diagnosed with autism. She's an absolute sweetheart and it breaks my heart.

On a good note, my biological father left my mom when I was 5 (I'm getting to the good part). He eventually re-married and had two more kids, a boy and girl that are close to the same ages as my own kids. I've never met my half brother or sister as ties were cut between family members due to him leaving years ago. Three years ago, my half sister and I both did the 23 and Me ancestry tests. She found me through that and reached out. We didn't talk a whole lot at first, then because our father died in April on Easter Sunday, we ended up reconnecting and now talk every week via messaging and have alot in common. It's helped to answer questions we've both had and bring some peace to our hearts after all these years of wondering why. He was heavy into drugs and alcohol so was not a good father figure to them and their mom divorced when they were younger.

With all of this happening this year, it's been quite a ride and some days my anxiety seems to want to carpool. My husband and I watched Christmas music videos last night. One was Celtic Women singing "You Raised Me Up". It just got a hold of everything this year and I sat watching with tears rolling down my cheeks.

Any other stories out there of anxiety in the throws of a lot of emotional stress?

[Agora1]

Hi Grandmaof3...The Celtic Woman are Amazing. I could only imagine them singing

that song in how it moved you. Dry those tears and embrace your family during this

joyful time of the year. Leave this past year behind you and look forward to a new

Chapter 2024. Wishing you well xx

[LoveforAll41]

Thanks for the update Grandmaof3! I am at a company that is trying to get several products off the ground. I am waiting for some stuff to be built so I can see if my stuff is going to work and parts are still on order... the hurry up and wait part is very hard for me. I feel like I am stealing from the company and try to do stuff that is outside of my job description but I only have so much know-how. 😬

Did those people get a good severance package? I think that there is such a big spectrum with autism and hopefully your grandaughter can get help to be taught in the way that will help her learn.

[Midori in reply to LoveforAll41]

Hello, and welcome to the Community!.

You must be having a tough time at work, and the layoffs must be difficult, but I hope those folk got a decent severance pay and also hope they get a pension. I hear it's difficult to get work when you are close to retirement. I'm in UK, so it is mainly OK for us.

I truly hope your granddaughter is not too badly afflicted with autism. My son is also on the Spectrum as is my grandson, both mildly, thank goodness.

Cheers, Midori