Heraclitus Was Right

The postings on this site ares my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

"You Cannot Step in the Same River Twice"

Change is good. Change is good. Change is good. At the table in the IBM Learning Center dining room at lunch yesterday, my rational mind was doing its best to convince me of that.

"Sarah."

I looked, and it was one of my former managers, Mike.

"Last time we saw each other was in India," he said and came over to hug me.

And then everyone other than the one person at the table I didn't know got up and we hugged. Tony. Yvette. George. Irwin. It was heart-swelling.

"What are you guys here for?" I asked.

They mentioned their meeting and then we smiled at one another and I went back to sit with my director and another manager in my current organization till our table filled up with my current colleagues.

My director asked me who they were and I was chagrined at not having introduced them to my tablemates. I sat through the rest of lunch, feeling wistful, wishing I could sit with my old colleagues and friends. I kept steeling myself not to look at them. And failed a few times.

Irwin's tie was a great orange with a suave pattern. Yvette was even more lovely than usual, if that was possible. Tony's hair was cute. George was as tall and kind-looking as ever. Mike's shirt was crisp, custom-made.

They were the current iteration of the GLBT Sales team that I helped start up nearly seven years ago, but it was three times the original size (not including Albert from Europe, who wasn't there then).

Toward the end of lunch, I stole a peek and noticed that the table, as well as the one next to it, featured a tent card that read "GLBT Sales;" the second table was full of people I didn't even recognize. Finally, I think I got the message that I feel my dad, may his memory be blessed, was sending me:

Look, Sarah: Teams that you helped launch continue thriving long after you're no longer on the scene. As you embark on your new assignment, which is poised to go well, too, I'm reminding you of this.