Saturday, March 25, 2023

giving notice

On the morning of my last day wearing brown 

After working at UPS for eighteen years

As I was driving away from the loading bay

Someone got my attention


I had given notice surprising everyone

Ready to take off and leave it all behind

Ready to do something entirely different

Willing to risk making a serious mistake


I don't remember who called out to me

But I wish I still had the photo that they took

As I looked up in an unguarded moment

From thinking about the day ahead

 

Catching me grinning ear to ear 

In a timeless expression of joy and relief

Suddenly swept by a wave of happiness

To be going out the door one last time


Saying goodbye to everyone was the hardest part

People I had been with every day for years

People who had shared the hardships and endured

People who were bound to stay on the job


Unlike me who could see my way clear

To take the opportunity to develop nonprofit software

But all I knew then was it was my decision

Because giving notice is the opposite of getting fired