Duckslayer, all I can say is follow your dreams and don't look back. You are young and if this doesn't turn out to be your dream job, which it sounds like t is, you will only regret it if you don't go for it!
First of all, my wife has been teaching since 1991. She works as hard or harder then most do in other professions. She absolutely LOVES what she doeas. She has taught K, 1st, 2nd, 4th and now is a 6th grade teacher. I am so proud that she gets to do something she loves so much and still has the drive and passion to be the best teacher she can be. She gets so humbled any time she runs into a former student or parent that tell her she was a special mentor in their life or she was their favorite teacher...and it happens quite often....that is much more valuable than a 6 figure paycheck... I am still looking for my dream job...although may have found it today!
Now for another related story about "me". I experienced something similar to you and was told my position was eliminated and my employment was terminated immediately with no warning. What was even more painful is that I am in my fifties and was having trouble landing a new career. I had worked for this company for 26 years, started in the field, worked my way up through several positions eventually getting a promoted to branch manager and was very successful for the last 8 years. It was a profession I dedicated my life to and suddenly found myself unemployed. Now what!? My father taught me to work hard, be trustworthy, have high integrity, do the right thing and respect your colleagues, customers and company. I did all that, yet there I was, feeling lost, anxious, humbled, wondering what should I have done different?
i was fortunate that I was given a transitional benefit plan (similar to a severance) that allowed some time to reflect, find what I want to do and not take any old job. I decided I wanted to try the private sector and avoid the corporate world of PC, policies and restrictions, labels etc...not "how can we serve our customers and be the best at what we do?"
After 5 months, I was losing hope and ready to take just any job to trudge through the 4th quarter of my working career. Out of the blue, my door opened! A former employee, who left to pursue a dream of owning his own company, reached out to me to see if I would ever consider joining his firm to create a new division.
Today I accepted his offer and couldn't be more excited!! This is the best I have felt in years!
Why am I sharing this? Because my dad was right, "work hard, be trustworthy, have high integrity, do the right thing and respect your colleagues, customers and company." Because I followed his advice, a former employee had trust and confidence in me to help him grow his business!
When a door opens, RUN through it and don't look back!