One point of light

Lest you think that everyone I worked with at my former employer was incompetent and churlish, here’s someone who brightened both my time on my last project, and my final day with the company.

JT is the operations manager for the entire department. When I was transferred into that group, the guy who hired me said it was a good thing because—while everyone there was quite smart—JT was the only one who had a lick of sense. That estimation was validated time and again. Whenever I needed some facts, figures or procedural knowledge, JT was my go-to.

Also, she’s the one who took the time to notify me last year that I was in danger of losing weeks of vacation time that I couldn’t roll over, thus triggering my trip to Prague, Berlin and Paris.

Last Thursday, JT popped by my office to check I was still around. Then she returned with a gift bag and a card. The bag contained a crystal (for eliminating bad vibes) and a lovely candle. The card reiterated what she told me: people often don’t get told that their work is appreciated, and she wanted me to know that she enjoyed working with me and valued what I’d contributed.

I have to tell you, that was kind, thoughtful and a balm for my soul.