How a stuffed tiger saved my life

When I got laid off from a job I loved in 2022, I found myself in a pretty dark place. I have already written about it here and here if you want some more details. In the first couple of months after the layoffs I started going for long walks and eating very little; sometimes 12 miles on 800 calories a day. I look at this now and I think subconsciously I was trying to have a heart attack or stroke out on one of my walks. The problem with this plan is that getting exercise tends to help you lose weight, be healthier, and get lots of dopamine and serotonin, which is exactly what happened for me. 

In the process of my wanderings, one dark and slushy night I found myself walking through slush and falling snow. As I was walking along, I noticed something sitting in the gutter along the side of the road. When I got to it, I bent down and picked up a small stuffed tiger toy (see image). He was in pretty bad shape, covered in dirt, snow, salt, and muck. I can't tell you why I didn't just drop him back in that gutter, but maybe I felt bad for him, so I ended up sliding him into the pocket of my jacket and forgetting all about him for the remainder of my hike. 

When I got home at around midnight, I threw off my soaked clothing and dropped it into the washing machine. I set the temperature dial to hot, the wash type to "bulky items" and headed to bed.

The next morning, I moved everything into the dryer in preparation for going out on another hike that evening after what I was certain was going to be another pointless day of sending applications to companies that didn't seem to want to hire me. When I grabbed my clothes out of the dryer that night, I found my little roadside tiger sitting there in the middle of them, but instead of being filthy, he looked as good as if I had just gotten him from the store. I took him from the clothes and found him a place of honor on my desk, and he kept me company from then on as I looked for, and eventually found, a new job. 

I think we all have points in our lives where we feel like that little tiger in the gutter. I know I felt just like him on the day we found each other. Looking back on it now, I realize that I came out of the past year in a much better place physically, mentally, and in my employment. I am happier now that I have been in a very long time, and I am working with an amazing company and team at Sundance Catalog. So, when you are feeling down, take a look at how happy Mr. Tiger is sitting on my dev Linux server and know that better times are ahead for you. 

P.S. I post a lot of fun content on my Instagram. If you could use a laugh and maybe a little motivation every once in a while, drop me a follow.