Just when you think that life is steady and predictable, the universe throws a curve ball at you. Last week I was laid off. Since I know I contributed a lot of value and put my heart in soul in to my work, I was surprised. Call it corporate restructuring, a career transition -- but really, whatever pretty words you try to name it, the bottom line was, within weeks, I'd be unemployed.In my career I've sat on both sides -- I've been hired, fired, recruited and promoted. I've also hired, fired, recruited and demoted. I'd like to think that regardless of what side I've been on, I've always acted with class and respect. Today, maybe I'm immune to reacting with distress and extreme emotion. Or maybe I've just embraced the reality of business. You can give your all to a company, even call them your friends and family. But really, at the end of the day, you are a number, with a price tag and very quickly can be in the "position eliminated" pile. Nothing personal -- it really isn't. Expecting more from the corporate machine would be unrealistic and likely come with huge disappointment. I'm not being a cynic, I just understand that at the end of the day, business decisions must be made to further the benefit of the company, and sometimes this comes at your expense.More... (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-chan/unemployment-layoffs_b_876435.html)