No loyalty in taking care of business

Business as unusual? Not business as usual.

I composed this when it was fresh news but for some reason never posted it.

The sale of Oklahoma business icon Sonic to the company that owns Buffalo Wild Wings in late September triggered something akin to PTSD (related to surviving several reductions-in-force in 34 years of service before finally losing my job with The Oklahoman two years ago in a layoff), with a thought that business sales and mergers that are announced as positives so often seem to result in major cost-cutting and a downturn in quality, at least from my perspective. I'm not even a big Sonic customer, but I've enjoyed what it stands for and I know so many people who are major fans of the chain. I thought: If the Sonic board can sell that great company, what's next? Braum's? That's one that would hit closer to my tastes.

During the next 12 to 24 hours, I found my mind trying to settle on some positive outcomes to business mergers. My mind settled on the idea that some future merger of The Oklahoman and the Tulsa World newspapers might have some promising possibilities.

So, imagine my surprise when I started seeing Facebook posts the next day that The Oklahoman was being sold -- but not in a merger with the World. Instead, it was being bought by Gatehouse Media, the company to which my job had been outsourced two years ago. Never in my wildest imaginings was that a consideration.

It fueled a lot of emotion. I felt a surprising loyalty to journalism. A frustration about the way things are done. Hearing reports that parts of how this was done were even harsher than methods used in the past. (Those who were laid off reported being notified by email while everyone was still gathered for the companywide meeting reporting these wonderful changes.)

Tied to that, major shifts are occurring in another industry in which I have a vested interest.

More and more, it looks like loyalty doesn't mean anything. People are treated as commodities. And who can you believe?

I've felt unexpected waves of emotion, from sadness, disappointment and a sense of grief, to anger, fear and frustration -- and, amazingly, gratitude, grace and faith.

Through it all, I've repeatedly been reminded of so many reasons to be grateful. The importance of people. Think of my priorities. What's important to me. What do I want to stand for? What can I do to make a difference?