Last Night at the Office

This is a mail I sent to my friends before leaving my job at Verizon in Chennai ..

Hi,
This is my last night at the VDSI office.

The floor is almost deserted, but one guy is playing some Tamil songs. (Kuchi kuchi rakkma from Bombay :))

It was a great evening with the Viceroy folks, am tired, but the AC is fine, and feel fresh enough to write.

Sheetanshu asked me sometime back (when I told him abt me leaving), he asked what had I learned here at Chennai. I had to think much.. I said, I learned to respect Shahrukh Khan. I know a teenage girl who cant walk. She goes into raptures when she sees SRK on screen. I dont think any other actor can ever do that. I cant make her happy that way. I dont think anyone else can.

At my home here (door no1 :-)), I learned how important it was to know about the simple things in life. About keeping clean, knowing how to cook, how to get a gas connection. (note - I have learned that these things are important,but not the things themselves :-)). Also, that a peaceful house was a blessing not easily matched by anything else.

I also came to know that language and cultural factors are important in relationships, but then, in true friendship, they dont matter at all.

Regd work, I think the only thing I learnt is that you have to be in love with what you do. Then everything sorts of happens right by itself.

But some most important learnings came in the last few days I think, when I told people that I was to leave.

I realized that there were people in my life I wanted to spend more time with. They too found time when they came to know that I was leaving. I showed them the best of what I had discovered in Chennai, listened to, and learned from them and spent some great time together.
We always know we want to spend some good time with people who matter to us, but always assume the presence of 'tomorrow'. :-)

I thought I would not rediscover the joy of friendship after I leave college. Thats what the seniors tell you. But if you find people with whom you can laugh, you can share, and they are there to take care of you, does it really matter that they have been there for 4 years or 4 months?

I found great people here at Chennai. I dont know how long these relationships will last. But I learned that everywhere there would be people from whom I can learn, have a good time with, laugh and share. Whats imp is that I enjoy the moments spent rather than think about who will be there 'tomorrow' :-).

In all these last few days, I feel a bit like crying for the first time. But make no mistakes,

I am full of hope.