The end of an era

Today is my last day of work at the company I’ve been with for 8 years. Since I’ve worked here, I bought a house & moved in with my now-ex, got married, had a kid, got divorced, held 8 different jobs (maybe more) and have grown into an entirely new person. I was one of those lucky people who can honestly say they loved their job and loved their coworkers. Many of my coworkers are now my closest friends. Who gets to go to work and feel a part of a real family? Unfortunately the winds of change are constant and most of the family have moved on to new opportunities and I suspect the winds will soon enough sweep up the ones who still remain.  I humbly write this letter to those who I met as colleagues and leave as family:

Dear Friends,

Thank you for all of the love, support, guidance, inspiration, laughter, and friendship you have given. I am unbelievably lucky to have been a part of a family as caring and supportive as ours.  I hope it is not true, but it feels like what we experienced together was a once in a lifetime occurrence - a group of people with clear eyes and full hearts who came together to make magic happen - not just in the company projects we completed together but in the milestones we reached together as friends. I cherish each one of you. They say leaving the people is the hardest part of leaving a job but I do not feel that I am leaving any of you, as you are now a part of my heart.