The Resignation of a Co-Worker...

Just like that. It is done. I knew it was coming, was waiting for it.
Today was the day my co-worker secured her release. She resigned. My other co-worker, feeling so pumped up for her thought it was going to happen the other day, who declared the other day, “A Day of Infamy” with an ever so psyched fist pump, felt it, too, a bereft mood wash over her. There was no fist pumping going on today, “The Day of Infamy.” When she finished telling us of the nitty gritty details of her escape, we must have looked like two deer in the headlights that suddenly realized that we were about to be run over.
Do you know what we felt?
Loss.
We were feeling the imminent loss of a friend. She gave her notice and would be walking out of our office doors for the last time this Friday. Were we starting to do some sort of mourning today? You know we’ll keep in touch, so there won’t be any loss. Right? Uh huh. Do you know that I feel even with the best of intentions, office friendships, once out of the office sphere, slip away like a sailboat on a tow line drifting at sea farther and farther away until the tow line snaps for good. It’s truly hard to maintain; it takes effort and work. You have to admit “the office culture” is a weird one. It’s not binding no matter how bound together you think you are. You may go to the movies or out to a Mexican Restaurant as a group, it feels tight but it’s not that strong a hold. When you leave “the office,” (that sounds cult like) the odd relationship is over. Why? You lose the commonality that glued you together. You can’t do the communal “office whine.” When they are not there anymore, they are out of the loop, nothing to complain about and honestly, they really don’t care. I don’t blame them. Sadly, you may find out that Work was the only thing you had in common, thus with that key factor gone, it’s done. This all sounds so cold and depressing, but I do feel it’s true. There are exceptions, of course. But when life continues spinning somewhere else, it gets harder and harder to stay connected. Wo. I just had my “Ah ha!” moment. Stay Connected…duh. My blog is where we can easily stay connected among other avenues…but there it is. Click. Comment. Here we are.But back to the knock me on my butt realization.
Yes, a co-worker resigned today whose company I enjoyed where we laughed until we were wheezing with tears in our eyes. For a short while, we were thrown together in an unusual work situation, both of us so different, but for a brief moment our paths crossed and connected. In an up note, I do feel that our paths crossed for a reason and we somehow helped each other probably in ways we aren’t aware of. I’m glad our paths crossed and I am richer for it. –S. Sdh. I feel better now.
Aren’t you going to miss me, Janie?