Floods, Recessions, and Other Forces

I found out today that a friend of mine was getting laid off.

I make computers obey me for a living.  I consistently try to improve my skills, and I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at what I do.  I tend to assume that I can master any problem or challenge that comes my way.  But today was a reminder that there's still a great deal that I can't control.  Professionally, I can't control my boss, my coworkers, vendors, or customers; in the broader realm of life, I can control even less.

As Dennis Bakke said in Joy at Work, when there's a hundred-year record flood, it doesn't matter how well your house is built.

It was an important reminder.