LETTERS – Here are some life lessons

There is a photo of local boys. Their young working lives were affected by World War II. The king sent one to mend aeroplanes in Africa and Italy, where he saw lots to interest him on his long foreign not-quite-holiday.

The king sent another to the far east, where he became a prisoner of war. They both came back. I know which one I think came back the more scarred.

In the 1960s a woman got a degree, became a teacher and continued to be a teacher for the rest of her working life

In the later 1970s a woman finished training as a teacher when there were more teachers in the country than teaching jobs. (A woman in Boston worked at that time for Leicestershire County Council where one advertised teaching job drew hundreds of applications).

The 1970s ‘never-taught’ teacher took a different job, which paid less. At the last count I think she had more life scars from her personal life than from her financial life.

In the lockdown many people have kept their jobs and not lost a penny in wages. Others are facing what feels like a disaster.

On radio a few weeks ago a 23-year-old MP spoke about ‘a scarred generation’. I would prefer to say: ‘wounded individual.

Here are very hard lessons and not-so-hard lessons: the world doesn’t owe anyone a living, not even Emily Maitlis.

The world doesn’t owe anyone a particular kind of living; unexpected turns in life bring experience and might bring fun.

It might take years rather than months; don’t despair if job-seeking is confidence-sapping, you are not the first, hold on in there.

And if you’re a woman going for a job interview get a bra with a cup size larger than your usual one and stuff it with hankies.

There is a photo of local boys. Their young working lives were affected by World War II. The king sent one to mend aeroplanes in Africa and Italy, where he saw lots to interest him on his long foreign not-quite-holiday.

The king sent another to the far east, where he became a prisoner of war. They both came back. I know which one I think came back the more scarred.

In the 1960s a woman got a degree, became a teacher and continued to be a teacher for the rest of her working life. In the later 1970s a woman finished training as a teacher when there were more teachers in the country than teaching jobs. (A woman in Boston worked at that time for Leicestershire County Council where one advertised teaching job drew hundreds of applications).

The 1970s ‘never-taught’ teacher took a different job, which paid less. At the last count I think she had more life scars from her personal life than from her financial life.

In the lockdown many people have kept their jobs and not lost a penny in wages. Others are facing what feels like a disaster.

On radio a few weeks ago a 23-year-old MP spoke about ‘a scarred generation’. I would prefer to say: ‘wounded individual.

Here are very hard lessons and not-so-hard lessons: the world doesn’t owe anyone a living, not even Emily Maitlis.

The world doesn’t owe anyone a particular kind of living; unexpected turns in life bring experience and might bring fun.

It might take years rather than months; don’t despair if job-seeking is confidence-sapping, you are not the first, hold on in there.

And if you’re a woman going for a job interview get a bra with a cup size larger than your usual one and stuff it with hankies.

Frances Richardson, Surfleet

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