Seven Years

Seven years is a pretty big commitment. It's twice as long as I've been married. But for the past seven years I've been employed by the Girl Scouts. Later this month is actually the anniversary of my first day on the job. But I won't make it the full seven years.

On Monday, I start my new job.

It's a bit bittersweet, because for the past seven years the women I have worked with have been a close knit family. A somewhat dysfunctional family, but a family none the less. Or maybe that's six years, because the last year has been like a family going through a divorce. And although some of those leaving our family have been like losing that annoying guy who married your aunt, he was still family.

For the Seven Lakes family the last year has really been a year of the family falling apart. In the first six years I worked for the council very few people left. Only one went on to a different job. Two passed away. Two were cut when their positions were eliminated.

Averaged out, it was about a person a year. And then we merged.

In our first year of merger six retired. Three were fired unceremoniously. And in the same week I gave my notice so did three other women in my same position. Before them, countless others.

We're not a family any longer. We're a corporation.

Which brings me to the exit interview questionnaire.

"What was the most influential part of your decision to leave?"

How on earth do you answer that?

While I figure out how to avoid any full-out truthfulness on this form I want to thank my co-workers for six wonderful years. And more importantly, the volunteers I have had the pleasure to serve and work with.