A message for my heart

Today at work one of the guys I work with said something to me that really surprised me. We were coming into the office after a cold snowy morning reading meters. We were commenting on the weather and about our loss of jobs. The humor was light as we joked around.

Charter looked over at me and said, "Out of my 32 years here, and working with all these people, I'm going to miss you the most." He turned and flashed a smile. You have been fun to work with and are so interesting. You have achieved so much in your life, none of these people come close to what you have accomplished." As he spoke his arms were stretched out wide as to gester to all those around us.

I looked over at him and thanked him, told him he was going to make me cry. He smiled and went out of the office.

When I started this job, this man would not even speak to me. He was in his late 50's and really kept to himself, not sharing information, or speaking much at all. He had worked 30 years with some of these people, they did not know a thing about him. He didn't offer, and others didn't ask. Until me.

I think I brought him out of his shell, and let me tell you, I still did not know much about this fellow I worked with daily.

He brought something to me today, a reason to be proud of who I am. Proud of what I have done. Most were not even work related, just bits and pieces of my life, risks I have taken, places I have been.

I could never see it in myself. Charter did, he said it in a way that made me believe it.

I thank him, I can move forward now, without looking behind with sorrow.