Give Thanks...Kind Of Like Going Home

Last week I drove to Salt Lake, took the Beck Street exit, and climbed Victory Road where I dropped into the valley with the State Capitol behind me. I parked the car, then walked the one block east until I reached the Olene S. Walker Building. I stood in front of a window to make sure my necktie was straight, then I opened the doors and walked inside.

Just like I've done thousands of times before.

Well, no exactly like it, but close.

I had a meeting in the building where I worked for more than a decade. I started in one department, moved to a second, then a third, then a fourth. I left for a few years, but returned for yet another assignment, and once that ended, I picked up my last job in that building. Two years later, that job ended and I left. 

That was almost ten years ago.

Back when I first started with my employer, the building was only a few years old. It was also not named after a past Utah Governor, Utah's first female governor. It was just called Admin North. It was the center of the company, the heart, and some might even say, the brains. I worked on the fourth floor. There were seven of us that began the same day. Of the seven, only two of us remain. Neither of us work there now, but both of us spent years, spent decades in that building.

I've been back several times. It's strange seeing a building that was once overflowing with people, so much so, they had to reduce the size of the cubicles to accommodate everyone. Now, that most of the employees work remote. The work gets done...we're no longer organized as we once were. 

The memories returned to me as I entered the space. Before, I could just use my pass to activate the elevators and go to my desk, to my assignment, to my responsibilities. Now, I had to sign in, given a Visitor pass. Just as well. I'm no longer part of that world. I'm an outsider to a place I feel I helped build.

Even though I very much felt the visitor the pass I wore claimed I was, it's still a home for me. I formed life-long friendships in that building. Some of my best working days and definitely some of my worst days of my professional career all occurred at Admin North. I'm grateful for those days, even though many were tough. I'm grateful for those friendships, for those relationships, for the work we did. I'm grateful because the days spent in those halls helped make me the worker and person I am today...another part of the fabric of a life.

It was fun to return, but it was also nice to leave, especially after having a good meeting.