Some jobs left a mark on our lives. Maybe it was the first job we ever had, all the struggles of starting, and the lessons we learned from there.
It could also be the job that you found the most fulfillment in, especially that job that allowed you to maximize your talent or to help other people. There were even a few jobs we thoroughly enjoyed despite the low pay, but we had to leave because life happened. Either the responsibilities or the bills started to pile up.
Would you give anything to have that job again? I bet a few would want that, even just for a day. It’d be nice to relive those moments after all those years.
Swimming Like Robin
If there was one job Robin Borlandoe wanted to return to, it was her job when she was only sixteen. She used to be a lifeguard at a local pool, and it was one that she enjoyed.
Fifty-four years later, she found the opportunity knocking at her door once more. And you know what she did? She opened that opportunity and didn’t hesitate one bit.
Lifeguard Shortage
According to the American Lifeguard Association, there has been a shortage of lifeguards all over the country due to COVID-19. Many pools closed at the height of the pandemic, so lifeguards looked for other more stable, post-pandemic-friendly jobs. Some were high paying, too!
Training schools also closed during the pandemic cutting the supply of labor short. Because of this shortage, many public schools in all states had to close even during the most sought-after pool season.
It’s no surprise that some cities were keen on hiring more lifeguards so they could open their public pools. That’s how Robin finally got the second chance she always wanted.
Robin’s Second Chance
She may have given this career up almost six decades ago, but Robin seized the opportunity right away when it opened to her. She saw a job posting in the pool across her street, and she’s seen the news about the shortage. That gave her the idea to try again.
There was no special treatment for Robin as she went through the same rigorous test as the other applicants. However, she dedicated a lot of time to practice and getting into the groove again, knowing the challenges ahead of her.
A Service to the Community
Thankfully, Robin passed the test, given the circumstance. Looking back on everything she went through, including two knee replacements, she said age is but a number.
“What is 70? Is the new, what 40 or 50? So, if they think of it like that, then they can come on out. Do something also for your community instead of just sitting. Some people like retirement; some people don’t. They want something to do, and it’s a great health benefit. It just moves your body,” she told WDTN News 2.
Her decision to apply as a lifeguard benefited her and the community. She rekindled her love for her old job that kept her body moving and, at the same time, allowed the public pool to be opened to the public again.
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