I want to be clear - this isn't my story - but I have a feeling that parts of this story might be part of your story. The message read: Hope you're well. Just wanted to have a bit of a rant, and I know you care about me, so you're the one I thought I'd write to. You wouldn't believe what happened to me yesterday. To cut to the chase - I spent 11 years giving everything I had to a company that let me go in a 15 minute meeting about 4 hours ago. Then I went home (feeling absolutely shattered) and realised my own adult child treats me exactly the same way. Uses me when it suits them. Disappears when it doesn't. And I suddenly saw the pattern. My whole life I've been surrounded by people who just take and take and take - and David, I feel like a complete sucker for just giving to everyone from my end. The boss who didn't care - the company that's just replaced me without blinking - and my mature aged child who talks about me behind my back, thinks I'm stupid, and doesn't realise I can read through their life patterns and BS. And I thought - when does it stop? I sat with this message for a long time, and I shared the story here as well, because I truly believe this isn't just "one person's story". I see this, as the story of an entire generation of good, loyal, hardworking people who were taught that if you just keep your head down and give everything you have... It will be worth it eventually. Well, it wasn't. Not at work, and sometimes — heartbreakingly — not at home either. --------------- https://BeIndependent.Today/50 Here's parts of what they needed to know: Your job - you can replace that. Right now. From your laptop. With AI, with the right guidance, and with the knowledge you've already spent decades building — you can build something that is YOURS. That nobody can take away. The family stuff - that's harder. That takes time. But it starts with the same decision. I feel you should stop waiting for people who don't value you to suddenly start valuing you.