Grieving the End of This Chapter

Have you ever experienced the sadness of finishing a good book?

It’s usually a book that took me through ups and downs – one that could make me cry and laugh out loud in the same chapter. I get attached to books with gritty characters, imperfect yet likeable. And when I finish one of these books, I feel grief, I guess, because I don’t want to say goodbye.

This is another example of life imitating art.

I just finished a chapter of my life. And I’m sad because I had to say goodbye to a group of guys that I’ve worked with for over two years. They do some development work offsite for the company where I work. It’s a motley crew of developers with varied backgrounds and talents. I only “officially” worked with a few of the guys, but they all endeared themselves to me in one way or another.

Like that good book, our story line had some drama. I finally found a group of people who did not back down when I challenged an idea. Our disagreements and debates sharpened my thinking and broadened my perspective. They taught me so much! And they only made me cry a few times. J

We shared a lot of laughs too. Some of the funniest people I know are also the smartest. And these guys are some of the smartest. We discovered our comic commonalities early on, combining sarcasm, cynicism and snarkiness. When I’m around them, I laugh almost as much as I roll my eyes. They are the reason that I always wanted a brother.

Unlike finishing a book, this goodbye was not my choice. I am getting moved to a different team so my visits must come to an end. This imperfect yet highly likeable group of guys drew me into their lives and treated me like a sister. Which is why my long drive home today started with tears. I was feeling grief because this chapter of my life is closing.

But then I spent the rest of the ride home thinking about how lucky I am. I have met some of the sweetest, quirkiest, craziest people and I am a better person because of each one. And unlike a book, I won’t forget about these characters. Because thankfully, I don’t have to wait for a sequel to see them again.