“You didn’t say goodbye”
Talked to a couple of friends back at my old company this week. On my last day, I had scooted out the door saying goodbye only to the people directly in my path, either physically or by their phone calls. I had a few reasons:
- My crazy public 200 day countdown seemed like a long. long goodbye that might have gotten old for many. That and the unrestrained happiness.
- Those goodbye emails seem so trite.
- I have never been a “goodbye person”… all the way back to high school and college, grabbing the diploma and skipping the party.
- Like a soldier getting to come home early, leaving his unit behind in an active war zone… maybe a bit guilty.
Thinking back to when others had left before me, I enjoyed them stopping by. I realize now that the goodbye is more for the people staying, versus the person leaving. An expression of gratitude to those staying.
“You didn’t say goodbye.”
Yes, it was a mistake.