Today, I met a former colleague for lunch. He and another colleague used to be my post-lunch walking companions so we ended up spending a lot of time together. We didn't have much in common except our workplace but turns out that is enough to keep conversation going. Our jobs required us to be chained to our desks for most of the working day, so the walks were a good change. I remember feeling quite light and free during those walks. When our company went through a downturn and there were layoffs and troubling management changes, having people to whine and joke with played a huge part in keeping morale high. Even if we were on a sinking ship we would sink together.
The company we used to work with emptied out pretty quickly after I left. From around 20 people in Mumbai, now they are down to just two, one of whom is a former walking companion. News is a boom-bust business but it is still difficult to get used to the speed of the booms and the busts. I don't miss the business, but it taught me a lot and, on the whole, I enjoyed myself there. And I made friends that I am still in touch with.
One of my first blog posts was about ephemeral friendships--friendships that are a result of shared circumstances--and close friendships that are based on a resonance of personhood. Both not all friendships that develop in shared circumstances are ephemeral. Some lay deeper roots. Maybe because I am closer to colleagues from this particular company because that was my longest professional stint. Maybe because it was a period of rapid professional growth for me, and these colleagues were fellow travelers. Maybe they remind of me where I was and how much my life has changed since. Maybe all of the above.
The company we used to work with emptied out pretty quickly after I left. From around 20 people in Mumbai, now they are down to just two, one of whom is a former walking companion. News is a boom-bust business but it is still difficult to get used to the speed of the booms and the busts. I don't miss the business, but it taught me a lot and, on the whole, I enjoyed myself there. And I made friends that I am still in touch with.
One of my first blog posts was about ephemeral friendships--friendships that are a result of shared circumstances--and close friendships that are based on a resonance of personhood. Both not all friendships that develop in shared circumstances are ephemeral. Some lay deeper roots. Maybe because I am closer to colleagues from this particular company because that was my longest professional stint. Maybe because it was a period of rapid professional growth for me, and these colleagues were fellow travelers. Maybe they remind of me where I was and how much my life has changed since. Maybe all of the above.
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