Goodbye Friend

I lost a good friend today.

Naw, "LOST' isn't quite right ... more like "said goodbye". I held steady and true, but it wasn't easy. She was my right-hand man, my confidante, my partner. She was the better half of a dynamic duo, and I will always admire and respect her for everything she stood for, and for all of the things that we were able to accomplish together.

I knew her for just over one year. She was called in to help out, and she had almost no experience in my line of work. For the first few days, I saw a "panicked" look in her eyes. I'm sure that on several occasions, she was tempted to quit and never look back.
But she didn't. She stayed with it. She was courageous. She held on. Her fortitude impressed me. It still does. So I reached out, took her under my wing, and reassured her that everything would be all right.

A year later, and she is a brilliant diamond, ready for anything that life can throw her way. There is nothing more that I can teach her. She is ready for the next challenge. So, as it happens in life, our paths are no longer joined. She accepted a position with another company, and now I have to say goodbye.

I have worked many places, and I have made some good friends along the way. I count myself fortunate to have worked alongside each of these good people, and I am honored that they chose to work with me and often directly for me. It is a special bond: master and apprentice, mentor and protege', teacher and student.

Those who love to teach others will be quick to tell you that the experience is never one-way. We always learn from the people we teach. The exchange is exhilarating.

I dedicate this page to all of the friends that I have made at work. (You know who you are.) We made a great team. We had a lot of fun. The work was hard, but we gave it our best, and we did a really good job. We deserve to be proud of the work that we did; we were damned good.

To the following people - "It was an honor to serve with you. I would gladly do so again if given the chance."

The KHS Crew, PFC "D", Spec-4s "A" "D" and "T", Sergeants "M" "R" "S" and "W", Captains "Dan" and "Bob", Major Tom, "Marky-Mark" and Miss "L" at BRI, the best and the brightest at Whizbang and CW. My homies at Blackstone. The KPCO tekkies, the national security folks at KPIT, the top-notch teams at MBI and Echo, and my blood-brothers "K" and "L".

The work doesn't last. (The companies don't even last!) But we were there. We have the scars to prove it. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for being there.

Still ... It is always sad to say goodbye.
My friend.