The Right Ending.
I woke up feeling cranky. Rain pounding against the glass windows, bursts of thunder boom from a layer of storm clouds. Coconut trees swaying by the wind brush against the window. Alas! I was at that day, when I was going to say goodbye to my two months old job and colleagues. The contract of two months had ended. Today was the last day of my short stint there. As I drank my morning tea, I felt a headache coming on. I somehow got ready to go to this office.
As the goodbye mail was dropped. People wished good luck and phone started ringing. As I thanked and spoke with them, I was packing up my belongings at the same time…the coffee mug, the water bottle etc. With a brief tenure of work and my work diary being kept in office the handover was comparatively easy. There was a lump in my throat as I spoke with few of colleagues who had become friends. With the keys handed over, I thought I was ready to go.
I went to food court where I use to buy lunch at times from a Pakistani vendor. He generally wore white clothes. That man had pale brown eyes, delicate features, his skin was flawless, his closely shown salt and pepper hair and his beard. We both use to speak in Hindi, exchange jokes about the way our jobs were. Sometimes crib about how we both are stuck here. So his immediate reaction was so you are free now. We shook hands, exchanged the last minute good things about each other, and wished the best for each other. We never felt the need to know each other’s name. As I was ready to leave, I realised one of my colleague was not in the office. He was out for some office work .He was someone I always looked forward to if I needed any help or had any doubts with work. So I texted him saying I was leaving the office, it would be good to meet if we can. He had a meeting scheduled so we could not meet. Nevertheless, we exchanged the goodbyes over messages. However, seeing a person and saying goodbye is much more essential I realised. If that moment is lost it is lost forever. Too often we underestimate the power of looking in the eyes, smiling, power of the touch and the smallest act of caring. The corporate world is such that your replacement arrives in the very next week. She picks up your work. And in matter of few days you are replaced. That’s how life goes on.
Singapore is a country where families keep coming, stay for few years and move to other countries or hometown. The kids start mingling, families form groups for hanging out together. The Kids are happy with more friends. Then suddenly downsizing time, many jobs are lost so many families are forced to return back to their country. Those people who live here feel that emptiness for a long time when the neighbours and friends head back. As each of us navigate our path in life, we are given the opportunities to help others navigate theirs. It creates a compassionate society. The people you use to talk every day, we never know when these people will meet next time.
Never underestimate the power of goodbyes. They make you resilient and strong enough to face the reality then to wish that the situation was something else. The opportunity to act as a kind guide when our paths intersects with another’s is a gift which can expand us and leave us deeply enriched. We never know when it is time to part ways with people whom we love, work or play. Life’s path can be rocky and steep; reaching out a steady hand of encouragement can steady us too as we strive to do our best.
-Sanchita