Thanks everyone for your comments and opinions. I just got back from a three day trip and actually got to fly with a 8+ year captain. Basically, his opinions reflects the majority of opinions on this thread. He also explained to me what he has to look forward to when he finally makes it to a major airlines who knows when; back at the bottom, struggling financially for the first 2 years if he can ever make it that far before being furloughed, living like a gypsy again in crashpads like he was in college 12 years ago....the list goes on. I am realizing how fortunate I am to have a good paying job just waiting for me while the rest of the country is at a all time high in unemployment.
I will have to take the job and fly for fun on my own chord. Not when someone else tells me to. It is a bitter sweet decision.
But rather than being bitter about the industry, I will take the good experiences and grow from it. Because I have first hand knowledge, I will always respect all of you when I see you in the terminals again and realize the difficulties you are all being challenged with daily. Once a pilot, always a pilot in heart.

Fly safe my friends!