While there might or might not be stories in my past about friends who WERE in low places, I prefer to stash them in my memory Rolodex as friends in growing pains places. I might or might not be able to regale you with stories of driving around my countryish hometown listening to country music like Garth Brooks' Friends in Low Places, but those stories are filed under The Thunder Rolls memories instead.
No, this isn't about such things. It's about my friends. Yes. It's about low places. Yes. It's nothing to do with country music, I'm afraid.
I was reflecting a lot this past week. Job stuff, you know. It's ever-consuming. But what keeps popping up, a recurring theme it seems, is that no matter how the job turns out, friends do. My work places have been friend factories. And for that, I am grateful. What a wonderful thing to gain from a place that otherwise mentally tortures you day in and day out.
My first true pit stop on the professional road was the most fruitful, ironically. Not only do I still get to occasionally chat with my first manager there, I talk frequently with the second manager I had, who was my senior before that. The guy in the group who picked on me like an older brother? Check. He emailed me today. And the best memory from there, my very first day, I met a great friend in orientation and to this day stay in touch. We now work together again, for a different company. Through her I met another guy, and we're now working together again as well. Five. Five wonderful people that I love to chat with, stay in touch with, and see frequently.
My second pit stop was less exciting in the way of friendships, but one guy in my group was someone I respected and felt could do great things. We aren't in touch that often, but we "see" one another on Facebook and occasionally catch up a bit. He pursued the teaching degree that I always coveted. I envy that he had the wherewithal to follow through and take the time and DO it.
Now? My third stop? I have reconnected with one great friend and one who has become one. Ironically he and she were cube mates at my first stop and are in the same department once more. I look forward to seeing them and talking with them daily. In addition, I have found another great friend despite all the obstacles she and I have hurdled together on the job. We have had interesting conversations, knowledgeable and thought provoking. Some days we see eye to eye, others I'm sure we don't. No matter the topic or conclusion of each discussion, I feel privileged to have found someone that makes going to work a lot easier. Each and everyday.
No matter what happens with any of my professional duties or bosses or paycheck writers, I have taken so much more from them. Friendship. Trust. Loyalty. Compassion. And while my places of business have been on the receiving end of my hard work, my tears, my pride and effort and loyalty, I pulled the bigger piece of the wishbone. Every single time.
6 comments:
The only thing I miss about my last job is the people. The work was mind-numbing and dull, but my boss and co-workers were my motivation for getting up every morning!
I agree. While I've never been a friend magnet...I have made one or two friends from each place of employment. And I really cherish the friends from places I no longer work...one of them is Godmother to my baby Helen! No matter what the bottom-line feeders tell you...work is always about the people. :)
My very best friend and I became friends because we worked together some 16 years ago. And I've made loads of friends along the way, and still keep in touch with them. The are my glue for sure.
Two of my closest friends are ones I met at work, and all three of us even live in different cities and I still talk or email them both every day. We did project management together several years ago and worked insane hours in insane cities for insance periods of times. The "we are all in this together" mentality, along with sharing every meal together, almost forced us into friendship, but I also realize we very easily could've ended up not liking or trusting each other enough to get to know each other, and I am glad that was not the case. They are still my sounding board because they understand like no one else what it's REALLY like at work.
I am thankful for them!
I love that about jobs. I have made the dearest, and in some cases, the bestest friends at jobs. You spend a huge chunk of your day with these people, its hard to not care whats going on in each others lives or how they are doing. And we always need someone to "vent" work stuff with who understands and has been there.
You turned a great phrase, "My work places have been friend factories."
I would say its been the same for me - but I've been working for myself (and largely by myself) for 15 years and ... those friends have slowly faded away - most of them just wouldn't spend the energy to meet me half way...
I guess I'm not worth the gas.
:)
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