Separation

Recently I had to say 'Good Bye' to my assignment, as I had reached that magical figure that warrants superannuation. In a way, I knew it was coming and I had no regrets that it came. What touched me deeply at the last moment was the emotions of my colleagues; who demonstrated that most of them had genuine affection for me. I am yet to come across a person who does not love to be loved. As an administrator, I had been harsh to many to keep the decorum and sanctity of the institution I headed. True, sometimes I behaved like a dictator, but to what end ? I was surprised that they understood my sentiments and sincerity. They also accepted my rudeness. It touched a tender chord. I wondered if I had not loved them as much.

In the Farewell session, my friend,who took over charge, presided. He recounted our past association and like all good friends heaped showers of praise which probably I did not deserve. Then came the time for the parting words of the person who would never set his foot in future to address the colleagues of the institution as his own. No emotions Man, I silently chided myself, 

In my concluding address I thanked my colleagues for tolerating me to long. I said, "I had to do precisely those works which my duty ordained, of course in my own way, for which I have no regrets.I do not want to be remembered as a saline memento but rather as a silent obscurity"

I noticed that some of my colleagues had emotional faces to hide but I do not know whether I had tears in my words.

Parting is always painful. We feel nostalgic and harp on old chord time and again expecting past events to re-enact.It never happens. But then nobody denies you to remember the past, bask in its glory to propel you forward. .