The Ouch that is felt when a radio gig ends

Again. Yep it happened again. Not a 'phone call' from the Program Director, not a "can I see you after the show?" Not "10 minutes before I was about to go on the air prepared for my show", Not the infamous words "we are going in another direction" - An email. After volunteering for KABL960.com for 13 years, I got the email from the Programming Manager : "I'm so sorry to do this, first and foremost you have done an exceptional job all these years always completely dependable for the past 13 years every Sunday morning for Sunday Sounds but it is just too much work running an internet station with everything else going on in my life, I'm going to shut down KABL" Staring at that email for many seconds and processing what I was feeling, I processed what I know He was feeling, and processed what I knew my other colleague would be feeling and of course what will the listeners do. I was saddened beyond belief. I sat with it for awhile re-reading the email. I started out volunteering at a Santa Cruz college radio station producing a weekly show that I would live for to present each week. It was a mix of Rock, Jazz, Blues, vocals, and instrumentals. I knew I was hooked on this thing called radio.I didn't care that I went to college for another degree, I didn't care I tried another craft for a few years, what I knew is that I was going to embark on my Radio journey.I did with all my heart. landed gigs on every format and every day part in the Industry all in the San Francisco Market: Rock Overnights, Adult Contemporary Weekends, Shock Rock Mornings, Adult Contemporary Mornings, Urban Jazz Mid Days, Smooth Jazz Nights, Love Songs Evenings, and Nostalgia Week Ends hosting Sunday Sounds on KABL960.com. Somewhere in there I took a year to train Voice Overs and made a career with that but I always hung onto a radio gig because I loved the beast. The relationship I created with my KABL960 listeners was so deeply heartwarming, Each email would share the joy Standards and Nostalgia combined would make them feel, allow them to think back and escape from today's world in a very gentle way. These emails came from all over the world. Proving to Me this music is what people miss. I did what I know a dedicated jock would do. I pulled up all my saved emails from the listeners and emailed each and everyone preparing them for the last show. The replies came back immediately, with disbelief and sadness. When Sunday came along I gave them what they rightfully deserved: a heartfelt music filled show from KABL960.com. So I closed with a goodbye with an attempt to correctly pronounce the word good bye with the many languages of the listeners I met, and closed shop. I will resurrect, because I love the joy music brings to people. It's what you do when bit by the Radio bug. I will still record voice overs, but I can't shelf the magic of music. Thank You KABL960, it was a wonderful part of my Radio journey.