Back in the Reagan era, my mom once found herself unemployed due to catastrophic events at her place of work. Having paid into the system for many years, she began to talk about applying for the applicable government handouts.
My brothers and I would hear nothing of this, even though we were in college and my mom's contributions were an important part of our support. We encouraged my mom to move to Baton Rouge and share an apartment with us to reduce costs while she looked for a job. It was a humbling and inconvenient experience for everyone, but she eventually found work and had a productive and rewarding career in a new field until she retired.
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