The Good Outweigh the Bad and the Ugly

I have an exceptional group of colleagues, and we meet every other week to discuss strategies and give mutual support. We also usually spend time complaining about the bureaucracy and the idiotic ways our leaders try to motivate us. This collection of people is--after my family--the single biggest reason I am now sane and not actively looking for another career.

While so many of my peers and supervisors are motivated by success, power and career advancement, I have, by a sweet gift of Fortune, been dropped into an area where I am surrounded by exemplary models of service and excellence. They have become my friends and mentors. I see them in action and listen to them, and I am suddenly charged up about my work, ready to attack the job with an enthusiasm I thought I had lost forever.

I play basketball regularly with some of them. We occasionally have lunch or dinner. We drink beer together, talk about baseball and the struggles of parenthood. One member of the group even moved in to a new home only a half mile away from where I live. Another just retired, and we celebrated that event with her. Fortunately, she will remain in the area, so we can stay in touch.

Damn, it’s good to have colleagues like that. This is the first time in my career I have been so closely surrounded by so many good ones. I should really learn to be more appreciative of that.
The downside is that each of us, sooner or later, will eventually be transferred to another location. One day, perhaps as soon as next year, or maybe not for another five or ten years, the group will dissolve. I dread that.

For now, I’ll just enjoy each one of them and be thankful for our friendships.