| The Workplace as Family | for everyone |
Five years ago the people that passed for administrators in Hancock Place broke my heart, dumping me, essentially forcing on me an unwanted divorce, closing the door on an extended family that I loved and to whom I had devoted 37 years of my life. I despaired of ever feeling that way again. Those who have suffered a broken heart can understand the wariness I felt about committing myself on that level again, opening myself up once again to the potential pain.
The love and support that I received from my new family at Schechter/Mirowitz on the death of my father has been overwhelming. Students, colleagues, parents, all have offered genuine condolences and expressions of sympathy that have made a difficult time less traumatic and painful. Even more important to me, they also helped ease the leftover hurt lingering from my departure from Hancock.
But I must also recognize my Hancock family, which was just as fabulous. I'm talking about my real Hancock family, not the now departed "leaders," but all the friends and formers from those many years I spent at "The Place." I was just as overwhelmed and thankful for all the good wishes sent my way from those whose lives I had intersected many years ago.
Now it's my turn; the carnage from the merger of SSDS & RJA to create the newly badged SMJCS (Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School -- I swear if we create any more acronyms we're going to have to expand the alphabet) has broken the hearts of some of those new friends and colleagues, my new family. I hope, as one who has walked in similar if not identical shoes, that I have been able to help them cope in their own grieving process, knowing that someone else gets their pain. I've witnessed the same stages of grief I experienced five years ago and my heart aches for good people whose institutional memory was both a threat and undervalued.
Just as I have experienced the relationship of a new family workplace (as well as support from many in the old one), I am honored with the task of extending that love and friendship to them as they move on. My wish for them is that they will find, as I have, a new home where they can feel appreciated and loved. They certainly deserve at least that.
The love and support that I received from my new family at Schechter/Mirowitz on the death of my father has been overwhelming. Students, colleagues, parents, all have offered genuine condolences and expressions of sympathy that have made a difficult time less traumatic and painful. Even more important to me, they also helped ease the leftover hurt lingering from my departure from Hancock.
But I must also recognize my Hancock family, which was just as fabulous. I'm talking about my real Hancock family, not the now departed "leaders," but all the friends and formers from those many years I spent at "The Place." I was just as overwhelmed and thankful for all the good wishes sent my way from those whose lives I had intersected many years ago.
Now it's my turn; the carnage from the merger of SSDS & RJA to create the newly badged SMJCS (Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School -- I swear if we create any more acronyms we're going to have to expand the alphabet) has broken the hearts of some of those new friends and colleagues, my new family. I hope, as one who has walked in similar if not identical shoes, that I have been able to help them cope in their own grieving process, knowing that someone else gets their pain. I've witnessed the same stages of grief I experienced five years ago and my heart aches for good people whose institutional memory was both a threat and undervalued.
Just as I have experienced the relationship of a new family workplace (as well as support from many in the old one), I am honored with the task of extending that love and friendship to them as they move on. My wish for them is that they will find, as I have, a new home where they can feel appreciated and loved. They certainly deserve at least that.
Drmist1 wrote on Jun 3
ReplyDeleteBob, At this time in my career, I needed these words. Words often fail me in the case of a death in a friend's family. I know that there is a need to know that those we know feel for us in our pain, but it is just beyond most folks to understand the fact that there is a grieving process involved in the ending of a career. I cannot even begin to control my emotion when I think how mine is ending, in similar fashion to yours, and I have a new understanding of that pain you endured. I am sorry you had to deal with that, but knowing that you survived and found some measure of happiness in the after-life beyond The Place gives your Hancock family members hope for a better future than we comprehend from this side of that tiger's tal!
Library Lady348 wrote on Jun 4
ReplyDeleteThank you Bob, knowing you understand is very meaningful and I look forward to our continued friendship away from SMJCS.