a hard goodbye deserves a smile because it happened,
not because it ended
Got to the office at 10am yesterday.
Had a quick breakfast, checked emails, and calendar.
There was a meeting invitation for 'Derek's farewell presentation' at 11am.
His reaction to the invitation was Do we really need this? Are you people trying to embarrass me on my last day? Wanna see me tear up?
Ann told him to bring a box of tissues with him. Lol. How supportive is that?
I thought he was joking about tearing.
He has always been the rational, calm, and no-worries kinda person. The last thing I'd expect from him is being emotional.
By the time I sent out two emails, it's 11am. Time for the presentation. He went into the boardroom with a box of tissues. Lol.
 |
| screen showing how he looks like in review meetings - where engineers get grilled |
He's leaving Sydney for good and also resigned from the company he has worked for for 30 years.
All for the sake of his passion in engineering - to make things happen. He's going to work on a project to put a $2 billion pounds tunnel under the renown Stonehenge site.
He said if not because of the project, he would not have made the decision to leave Sydney. The last 1 year had been the best 1 year of his life. And he'll definitely be back in the future.
And he started tearing...........omg!
Haha.
 |
| Only so far written by half the office and it's already 80% filled. |
The A3 farewell card. Not the typical 'All the best and good luck' wishes. The long messages show just how much he means to us :(
After the presentation, he spent a few mins on his own in the boardroom to straighten up. Haha.
At 2pm, he decided to go for drinks as he couldn't concentrate while being emotional.
He told me to join him if I want to, whenever.
I couldn't concentrate either. There's always Monday to do all the works isn't it? Lol.
So I went down to join him and Ann.
He told me when he first decided to come to Sydney, his brother-in-law warned him that Sydney is the place on earth where once you step foot on, it's hard for you to leave.
He didn't believe him.
Now that he needs to leave, he couldn't agree more.
The weather, the city, the people, the neighbourhood, the blue skies, the culture, the simplicity, and so much more...
He is leaving with a heavy heart.
He was the person who interviewed me for my role, hence was the first person I met from the company.
He taught me to love what I do and do it well.
He told me to be great at what we do and be proud of it.
He bought me a plant to 'green' up my desk.
When I left the farewell party that night, his last words for me were, 'You be good' in which I replied, 'I will.'
It was a short 12 months encounter but a very memorable one.
Thanks for being a part of my career journey. You will be missed.
After the presentation, he spent a few mins on his own in the boardroom to straighten up. Haha.
At 2pm, he decided to go for drinks as he couldn't concentrate while being emotional.
He told me to join him if I want to, whenever.
I couldn't concentrate either. There's always Monday to do all the works isn't it? Lol.
So I went down to join him and Ann.
He told me when he first decided to come to Sydney, his brother-in-law warned him that Sydney is the place on earth where once you step foot on, it's hard for you to leave.
He didn't believe him.
Now that he needs to leave, he couldn't agree more.
The weather, the city, the people, the neighbourhood, the blue skies, the culture, the simplicity, and so much more...
He is leaving with a heavy heart.
He was the person who interviewed me for my role, hence was the first person I met from the company.
He taught me to love what I do and do it well.
He told me to be great at what we do and be proud of it.
He bought me a plant to 'green' up my desk.
When I left the farewell party that night, his last words for me were, 'You be good' in which I replied, 'I will.'
It was a short 12 months encounter but a very memorable one.
Thanks for being a part of my career journey. You will be missed.
No comments:
Post a Comment