Some of our politicians should take a day to talk to all of us who are unemployed and want to work. I am without insurance and cannot afford my meds; we are keeping our heat down and I have a sick husband, because we are just over the edge to qualify for help. I just want a job and a few good years of saving money paying off bills to support myself for the rest of my life. I want quality of life just like everyone else.

I volunteer and help others quite a bit; I am a hard worker who will do anything to support my family and not snub my nose at it. I ask for little — no fancy cars or jewels, a comfortable home and some security — but it is hard when you have three kids to go to college, a home to support, ill husband and parents, having lost one last year. I want to be everything and do everything for everyone, but now I am forced to just worry about surviving myself.

I am not looking for pity, just want to state what a lot like myself are going thru. I have interviews and I am looked at as old, but I have a lot to offer as well as gain and contribute to a team of other workers. The fear associatedwith not working is insurmountable, and I understand how people feel. I have always worked so time off is driving me nuts,  although my house is clean and organized enough to eat off some floors.  Others not so much.

I have animals; one lovely little old cat, who only is nice to me and hides from everyone else, and a new puppy sent to us from my son in Vegas when my last rescue dog died. I have a wonderful family and great kids. I am attending college to update my skills and reinvent myself to gain employment.

If we all write our experiences about this saga of our lives we will keep each other strong and keep hope alive.