It's really hard to leave a job you love. I understand that now, writing from the office, in-between shredding 100 wish children profiles, who would no longer be under my care.
Graduation googles or not, am starting to see everything I love about my role at Make-A-Wish. It's not just the work-work, and colleagues, but from where we're situated (in Cityhall), down to our neighbours - the ballet school (hee that was fun), auntie teo's, tony's cafe, wanton mee auntie, dental clinics, old vinyl record stores); I've enjoyed our interactions, and indirectly am bidding all farewell.
There is too much familiarity and comfort being here the last six years. Having that one security guard wish you a good morning, the meepok uncle telling you 'can pay later' when you're out of cash and the convenience of three malls and an array of trendy restaurants and bars along the Singapore River..all for someone who now lives in Tiong Bahru - pppurrfect location! I'm so fortunate. Gone are the days of rage and confusion not getting a seat on the MRT from Pasir freaking Ris.
So, knowing where to get the best kopi and chee chong fan...from friendly faces, they might seem secondary but it all adds to loving the space you're working in. Making it that much harder to leave behind.
In the midst of my massive handover to the team, I've been making phone calls to wish parents whom I've followed up with from 2016 and many of them receive my news with some shock and sadness, which undoubtedly makes my heart ache. They say, "oh that's so sad, but we are happy for you". I guess this is how it is....sadness, thrown in with happiness: bittersweetness.
Sent out a bunch of farewell emails to vendors and partners too, and everyone comes back with well wishes, one said it was a "fulfilling business relationship" despite not having personally met in the last six years. It's true though - it's been fulfilling. Working with people in-sync, comes with working with the same vendors over six years. Everything is clockwork, smooth, much like you want and expect it to be.
So leaving my job isn't just leaving my role, my team and scope of work, it's everything that comes with - bye to the morning greetings, friendly smiles and most of all, familiarity and comfort and what I've achieved from my time here, work-life balance.
Hello to being an awkward newcomer (wherever that work place is), being the new asian face, working hard(er) with no regular stalls to patronise, no-round-the-corner chee chong fan, no absolute convenience.
...but that's the whole point of change, right? Taking all that it comes with. Hi Diddly Ho, Change! I am welcoming you and leaving myself this gentle reminder from Steve Jobs,
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do"
and where you do it, and I hope I'll find myself doing great work again, soon.
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