Suzanne has been asking me if it has “sunk in” already, and I kept answering her, “no, not yet”.

I’m afraid it now has.

I have finally resigned. After 10 years of working under this organization, I have finally accepted what I have been denying all this time: that there is nothing else for me to do here.

I have allowed myself to be shrouded by the comforting company of officemates, past and present, thinking there is nothing more important than working with the best people. And by best, I mean not just competitive professionals but effective team players as well. Unfortunately, being with the best is not always a good reason to stay. There will be times when you also have to think of your own survival…to let go so you can grow on your own.

I have always told many of my colleagues that we are not here to make friends; but if in the process we do meet people who became our close allies in life, then it’s a bonus. I guess I can say that I have become friends with most of my officemates in this organization because of everything we had been through — the stressful press conferences, the hectic events, the long OTs, the working weekends and birthdays, the invisible wars with difficult clients, and yes, even those times when we would fear if we had enough money for payroll.

But we knew how to make light of these heavy challenges — the Friday night tunggaan at the office, the birthday celebrations, the wild videoke nights, the hilarious Christmas parties (even that one Christmas party where we paid for everything ourselves). We even know how to make out-of-town assignments exciting rather than wearisome.

I have been working as a professional for more than 20 years now, and it is with this organization that I stayed for the longest time simply because I had the most fun times with, and I say it again, the best people ever assembled together. I thought this would last. But nothing, as the cliche goes, lasts forever. I have become complacent, and I am glad I am able to get out of that complacency when I most need it.

This is not to say that I am saying goodbye. This is my personal tribute to all of my colleagues who have taught me lessons even if I am among the oldest (if not THE OLDEST) in the group.

Nag-sink in na, Suzanne. Special mention ka, ha. Panay kasi ang tanong mo (kayo ni Bingski) kung kelan ang last day ko. 😉 Aaminin ko, hindi agad nag-sink in kasi almost all of my past officemates (most of whom have become my friends) have already moved on with their professional lives. Tapos parang ayoko ding isipin na iiwanan ko sina PJ, Monina, and Jhen. And then there’s Suzanne (third mention na ito ha) and Bingski with whom I have easily and quickly connected.

Indulge me on this. Ganun ako katagal dito kaya, okay lang?

Mami-miss ko kayo, pramis! Wala kayong mga katulad!