is one of those sayings you hear a lot. It is kind of like the Jamaican saying: he who knows it, feels it. I was at work today and I asked my department chairperson if she knew why one of our coworkers hadn't been to work in a while. The conversation went like this:
ILP: Hey, where's L?
DC: (uncomfortable and obviously annoyed) She went over the edge again and is at home.
ILP: Huh?
DC: Yup, just like last time. Except she didn't wait for someone to tell her to stay home.
Some background: L is someone I've worked with since 2000. L is one of the smartest intellects that I know. To look at L, your mind would definitely say Annie Leibovitz meets Jim Morrison. She looks like she belongs in Haight Ashbury...during the 60's. L would give you the clothes off of her back is you needed them, even if it meant her walking around naked. I guess you get that L is just a nice lady. In a hippie sort of way.
Two years ago, L went through what I will call a rough one. I will stress the word rough. I mean a person couldn't write this plot line. In the span of 11 months L met, dated, moved in with, engaged, married, and buried the love of her life. (See, I told you, a person could write this one.) The love of L's life didn't die suddenly. He died of brain cancer. His death was a process. A very slow one. Everyone in our department went along for the 11 month ride.
L's first absence from work was due to the fact that she was just exhausted. I mean who wouldn't be? We (our department) were exhausted. She needed time to recoup. She needed time to exhale and breath again.
What I found interesting about this go around is that my DC didn't seem as understanding and patient as she was last year. My DC put it this way, "I'm sorry, business must go on. The world continues." Yes, time, it does go on. It moves at a different pace for each person, but it does continue to move.
I just hope L gets better this go around. I can't begin to imagine what she is going through. Honestly, I don't want to know. It all seems like much more than I could ever bear. I hope and pray that L isn't the one that Time ends up forgetting.
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There is a woman at my agency that discovered via an asthma attack that she had cancer (convoluted story that I wont go into here). My agency is historical a supportive space but for some reason this situation they are taking the "business must go on as usual." I totally understand that we have to move on and make sure all the components are in place to keep doing what we do, but...
I guess I just keep learning that we are all replaceable and we are only as valuable as the machines says we are. Don't fall into the trap and let the machine determine that. Take care of yourself because no one else or company is obligated to do it for you.
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