Snow. Events such as a major snowstorm tend to have a myopic effect upon individuals, towns, cities, etc.; for, as the focus is narrowly placed upon the event itself, the beauty of nature’s blanketing is lost upon the urgency of what is announced.
Language has such an effect. One becomes more comfortable reading about an event, rather than experiencing it. Thus, one may google about a natural occurrence in one’s own neighborhood, when all that should be needed is to open the back door and look outside.
A corollary effect occurs in a Federal Disability Retirement case. The “event” of preparing, formulating and filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits becomes the singular focus for the Federal Disability Retirement applicant, and this is understandable, because the necessity of securing one’s future often depends upon obtaining the foundational economic and financial benefit. But other aspects of one’s continuing life must concurrently progress in a linear fashion. For, the problem with waiting upon another, is that the “other” rarely notices or even cares.
OPM’s shutdown because of the snow will have the reverberating impact of slowing things down for another day, which will echo down the line for hundreds, if now thousands. The ones who are impacted will be the Federal and Postal employees who have a dire need to have their Federal Disability Retirement cases decided.
From the “other’s” perspective, however, this is a snow-day. Driveways to be cleared; kids to be attended to. The continuing life. If only that were so for everyone, including the Federal or Postal Worker who is awaiting a decision.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
OPM Disability Retirement, Et Cetera… 