This is the e-mail I sent to my coo-workers on the last day:
I left my hometown of Richmond, Indiana in January, 1969. It was a nice enough Midwestern town and a wonderful place to grow up. 40 years later, it was named an All American City, beating out a number of contenders including the City of Tampa! In early 1967, I defended my master’s degree thesis at Indiana University before a committee of three professors. In 2009 the chair of the committee became the first women to win a Nobel Prize in economics. I conclude from this that the longer I stay away, the more likely something special will happen. So mourn not my departure. Better times are on the way. First though, a look back at my years of practice.
I’ve had a few articles published, none of which resulted in a note, letter, or phone call. My name is associated, for better or worse, with a few dozen homeowner associations and a large development or two. I’ve tried to contribute to the profession, but I’ll be mostly remembered for the number of checks I’ve signed – a prize for showing up for work every day. That’s the sum of a 35 year career.
These things will pass into and out of memory quickly. It is less about what I have accomplished and more about the people I’ve met along the way, whether in close relationships or a singular encounter. I’ve tried to be an example, a reflection of what I believe, though I’ve had some miserable failures. It’s all a part of taking a risk to get to know people well. In the long run, it’s worth it. This firm is the sum of its people, and it is an extraordinary group. That didn’t just happen. You have to work as it, as you do in any relationship. It has been a privilege to labor at your side. This memory will not soon fade.
Finally, a law firm is maybe the last place to leave unsolicited advice, but here it goes anyway: I challenge you to become involved in something bigger than you are, preferably something dedicated to the well-being of other people. The possibilities are endless. It is really very simple – serving others shifts your attention to them and away from yourself. It’s a little scary, but the rewards are boundless. So, get outside your comfort zone. Playing it safe is living in neutral.
Doug
May 21, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Last Day
By: Doug Roland
Friday is my last day of full-time active employment. No one prepared me, nor could they, for this. I received my first social security card around 1958. I still have it, though, like my hair, it is no longer the same color. My first entry into full-time work was January, 1967, at Franklin Junior High School, Franklin, Indiana. The thought of eventually studying the law and practicing for 35 years had not entered my thinking.
When I was growing up, people retired with gold watches, hails and farewells. I don't really care about the watch, but I have always thought the prospect of sleeping in, having time to do whatever I wish, and studying about things I always wanted to know, would be greeted with giddy anticipation. But it hasn't. Rather, a mild depression has set in and surprised me.
Many retirees are soon bored. That is not a concern as we prepare to go to South Africa for two years. That thought is thrilling enough at any time of life. I think it has more to do with separation from my co-workers. As many years as I have been working, I understand that when the workplace is no longer shared, the friendship dissipates. It's human nature. The last 14+ years have been in the same firm, one that has tripled in size during those years. Bonds have been formed with many people. Most of the ties are dependent on daily hello's and small chats. Oh, I can tell myself that I will call, e-mail and stop by from time to time. But the cold truth is that I will become irrelevant after awhile - the nice old guy who used to work there.
That will not, however, prevent me from treasuring those years when I walked daily through the building, hoping, that in some measure, I might bring a little light to someone's day.
I am excited beyond belief to begin the next chapter of my life sharing what skills and wisdom I may have accumulated over the decades. But I will not welcome that slow, stubborn, and permanent departure from the people I see each working day, each year.
Friday is my last day of full-time active employment. No one prepared me, nor could they, for this. I received my first social security card around 1958. I still have it, though, like my hair, it is no longer the same color. My first entry into full-time work was January, 1967, at Franklin Junior High School, Franklin, Indiana. The thought of eventually studying the law and practicing for 35 years had not entered my thinking.
When I was growing up, people retired with gold watches, hails and farewells. I don't really care about the watch, but I have always thought the prospect of sleeping in, having time to do whatever I wish, and studying about things I always wanted to know, would be greeted with giddy anticipation. But it hasn't. Rather, a mild depression has set in and surprised me.
Many retirees are soon bored. That is not a concern as we prepare to go to South Africa for two years. That thought is thrilling enough at any time of life. I think it has more to do with separation from my co-workers. As many years as I have been working, I understand that when the workplace is no longer shared, the friendship dissipates. It's human nature. The last 14+ years have been in the same firm, one that has tripled in size during those years. Bonds have been formed with many people. Most of the ties are dependent on daily hello's and small chats. Oh, I can tell myself that I will call, e-mail and stop by from time to time. But the cold truth is that I will become irrelevant after awhile - the nice old guy who used to work there.
That will not, however, prevent me from treasuring those years when I walked daily through the building, hoping, that in some measure, I might bring a little light to someone's day.
I am excited beyond belief to begin the next chapter of my life sharing what skills and wisdom I may have accumulated over the decades. But I will not welcome that slow, stubborn, and permanent departure from the people I see each working day, each year.
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