Going Away Presents

During a three hour breakfast business update meeting last week, I was surprised to find that they had alloted time for a send- off tribute (or you can call it celebration for good riddance? :) for those employees who are leaving the company early this year. I'm one of the eight. Most were transferring to other local external companies while others were transferring to a new company half owned by my current one due to a recent merger and sale of that part of the business. One was moving to Malaysia for a two year assignment. I was the farthest "leaver", I guess, as I was going out of the region.

The "send-off" was short and sweet. They had a slideshow playing on the screen, reminiscing old times (and old haircuts) and they gave us a big paper bag containing company tokens and a box which had gifts and notes given by our colleagues. It was touching. My favorites, if I have to name them, were the brown bag (a nice remembrance of my time with the company and which makes a nice art bag that I could use to log my sketchbook and art materials), the sketch pad, the tattoo pens and the nice children's book (The Ice Dragon by George R. Martin given by Rose). (I did get an extra one which was an award for a project I finished with a virtual team last year..a $100 worth award which nicely fits into my travel wallet. :)



I had made a small poster made of paper cuts, my way of thanking them in remembrance of the accomplishments we had last year. (picture below)



I was lucky, I was able to get through my goodbye speech without choking. Leaving the people I have grown to love, like (and even disliked) is always a tough emotional road to pass. I guess I am writing this with a light note now but when the music stops playing, all hugs exchanged, goodbyes sent, funny (and not so funny) memories recollected and I am left in the silence and darkness in my room, in the middle of the night, looking out at the lone lampost outside my window, the loneliness hits me like a wave. Deep down, I know everything will never be the same, some friendships will fade with distance and time, and the cozy, warm cocoon I currently am in is slowly cracking and opening up, releasing me to a new alien world. I will truly miss my friends.