ReachedMyDestination"Ego(自尊)hasanenormousappetite,themoreyoufeedit,thehungrieritgets."-NathanielBronnerJr.Ithasbeentwoyears,wehavenotmet.LasttimewaswhenweweredepartingatRomeAirportasapr
ReachedMyDestination
"Ego (自尊) hasanenormousappetite,themoreyoufeedit,thehungrieritgets."
-NathanielBronnerJr.
Ithasbeentwoyears,wehavenotmet.LasttimewaswhenweweredepartingatRomeAirportasaprocedureofjoiningdifferentcompetitivefirms.WeexchangedourpersonalemailIDsandIneverrealizedmyemailIDwasonewithanerror.
Wehadbeeninsixyearsofprofessionalrelationshipthatendedwithasmallmisunderstanding.Weneverrealizedthatwemightnotgetachancetoclearit.Webothhadtoughegolevelstoshedoff.
Inthesetwoyearsworkhasalwayskeptmebusy.TherehavebeeninstanceswhereIwantedtowritetohimforhisexpertiseadvicebutmyegoalwaysstoppedme.AndthenonedayflyingtoLondonforaconferencewastakingawaymypeaceofmind.Iknewhewouldbethereasapartoftheeventfromhisfirm.
Ithoughttoignorehimandbehaveprofessionallyasanemployee.Finally,Ienteredtheconferencehall.Iwasquickenoughtorealizethathewouldtakeoverparticipants'attentionwithhisconfidence,andallIwoulddosittingtherewouldbeappreciatinghim,noddingmyheadas"YestoYes"and"NotoNo".
Finally,heapproachedthestage.
Theveryfirstlinethatfellintomyearswasmynameashecontinued,"Iamproudtobeherewith8yearsofexperienceandIwouldliketosharemybestpracticeswithallofyou.ThisisajourneyIcompletedwithoneofmybestcolleaguesandmybestfriend‘myname'whosupportedmethroughdayandnightwiththetoughestprojectsandkillingdeadlines".
ForamomentIfellnumbed (目瞪口呆) andcompletelylost.AllIcouldrememberweremythoughtsforhimbeforeenteringtheroomandhisgreatnesstoacknowledgemypresence.Finally,theconferenceendedandweallleftforrefreshment.Iwasstrugglinghardtofacehim.
Isawhimcomingtowardsmewithagift.
Iaskedhim,"Whythisgift?"
Hewasveryhumbletoanswer,‘ThisisasmallsymboloffriendshiptotellhowmuchImissedmyfriendwhenIwantedherthemost.Asmalltokentorepresentthatevenwhenyouwerenotwithme,yourteachingshelpedmetoworkondifficultprojects."
Iaskedcuriously,"Butyouneverw