Back To It

So today is the first day back in the office after almost two weeks.

The two week period has been a natural break of sorts for me.  The change in the work environment has been so palpable, such a divide between before and after, that the break has created a closing chapter of sorts to seven years worth of work.

Our pastor this morning, in a sermon about work and living it out, made a point that we needed to make a point about work not owning us, owning our lives.  In that sense this break - away auditing to see other companies, practicing my sword art - has been a good and needed reminder and break that my work is not my life.  It cannot be, now:  my hands have been pried off of all that responsibility and roles and reduced to a (yet unknown) position.

Perhaps a relief.  I need no longer worry about (at least so long as I am here) the problems of office politics or greater strategies for getting ahead or even trying to make a better impression.  That is all removed from my power now.

Two courses now.  The first is to look for new opportunities.  The second is to look to those parts of my life that are beyond the eight hours a day and work on those.

It was a good seven year run.  I am looking forward to the next chapter.