Remembering Work
Once upon a time my husband and I both worked in this building. This is what we found when we went back to a colleague’s retirement party today.
It seems like a lifetime ago that I was getting up at 5:30 am so I could be in the office by 7:00 am to work often 10-hour days and then come home to make dinner, fall into bed, and then get up and do it again. I loved working hard and seeing the fruits of my labors as a major survey was launched.
But I have never once awakened since I retired 2 years ago to say “Gee, I wish I could go to work today.”
The timing was not of my choosing, but I was so frustrated at the end that I just had to do it and it turned out to be exactly the right decision for me.
My dear friend who is now retiring is someone my husband actually hired in 1978. We have worked together on and off over the years and I recruited him when the survey needed someone with his skill set.
I always thought that when he left, he would not look back, but it turns out they are dangling some attractive carrots for contract work in front of his nose and he may not be able to resist.
For a brief second, I wondered why no such carrots had been put under my nose and then I remembered the unhappiness just before I left. I affectionately named my two greatest enemies “the two B’s.” I saw both of them today. One pretended like nothing had happened. The other avoided me altogether. I didn’t care one way or the other. It was all in the past.
On the way out I just had to snap the picture of the demolition scene in front of the new building. My husband and I both took a final look at the building where we met in December 1971, or what was left of it.
Then we hit the road to leave the Suitland ghetto and remembered what it was like to drive in rush hour traffic.
As we pulled into the driveway, I noticed this azalea bush that is in such full bloom that it is literally covered in pink. When I was working it was always dark when I drove into the driveway. It’s nice to be able to see my yard in full bloom when the sun is still out!
posted by Barbara at 6:25 PM
8 Comments:
It often amazes me just how much time we spend in places where we are unhappy. Glad you have time to enjoy the bushes now.
Lemmonex -- I'm glad I was convinced that I loved what I was doing during most of my career. It would have been a real bummer to be counting the days to retirement for about 35 years otherwise.
That's a beautiful azalea! It's a drag to not be able to enjoy the scenery due to work, but I know what that's like. I'm glad you are all finished with that now.
So much of a job is really just about the people you work with, not so much about the work. Sounds like "B and B" soured your whole work experience. I've been there, and now also don't care, but love seeing some of the wonderful folks I worked with and admired. Work colleagues become like family--in both best and worst ways.
Isn't it odd that we extoll the virtues and beauty of nature and then arrange a society that insists we give it all up for a day locked in a building playing with paper and numbers? I think I was born in the wrong century!
Work is great when you are doing something that is personally important or fulfilling.
I think I've got the balance just right.... work part time. I work a three day week and that suits me fine.
xx
It must be kind of cleansing to see your old office be demolished! You really HAVE moved on! I like the fact that you felt no animosity toward "the two B's" after all this time, too.
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