End of an Era

Almost 13 years, sometime it felt like yesterday and sometimes it felt like an era, sometimes it felt like a sprint and sometimes like a never-ending marathon

Yesterday was the first Friday in 13 years when I didn’t get my favorite most awaited message of the month “Dear Customer, there is an NEFT credit of INR xxx INR in your account”. It isn’t a great feeling, I assure you!

This pandemic has not been kind to many, it took a toll on many of our mental health, I am no different, I kept telling myself “quit, quit now you don’t need to be in this rat race. Why do you need this job why do you need so much money? Life can be better without it”.

Today I have answer to all my questions, I have had the privilege to pause and do a retrospective view of my life. I once read “People who say money can’t buy happiness, don’t know where to shop”., as materialist and shallow as it sounds, it’s true.

There is nothing wrong to be in this rat race or in a jungle out there or anything else the world is currently coining it, I love the adrenaline rush I got from work and crazy working hours, its not always that bad as it sounds. The feeling evoked with sense of my accomplishment is priceless, whether it was with a good presentation to Sr. Management and all the hard work that went into it, meeting an impossible deadline or even recognizing right people for right job and promoting them – Nothing beats that feeling.

I really miss my days at Goldman Sachs. A journey from an Analyst to an Executive Director. I am thankful to my managers who accepted my request of early reliving. I knew I need that break of at least 13 days for 13 years of Ups and Downs, 13 years Good Days and Bad Ones (oh yes there were plenty of them), 13 years of people who truly inspired me and people who taught me what not to be (oh yes there were plenty of those too), 13 years of success and mistakes, but honestly, I learnt more from failures, principle less people and my mistakes more than ever. These are lessons one never forgets.

I needed to feel hollow, this uselessness and this vacuum I feel to appreciate what I had have and will have ...

I will really miss people of Goldman Sachs and forever feel the respect and gratitude in my heart for my first company Goldman Sachs, who bred and nurtured me.

I am ready for another era to come, ready and looking forward with Hope, Confidence, Faith and Happiness.