Hopelessly Human

The single worst part of being a department manager is when you have to let someone go. I did everything in my power to prevent it, find other options, make things work. The idea of taking away someone's livelihood is repulsive to me. For better or worse, you change a person's life. Yesterday was one of those days where I changed a life. If there is any upside to this story, it was a service I had to let go, not an individual. They have other customers; the impact will be small, not catastrophic. Like most situations, it was not about a specific incident, but rather a series of incidents which indicated it was time to part ways. And as painful as it was for the person who represented the service (who happened to be the owner), I hope it turns out to make them (and their company) better in the long run. It had to happen, but that doesn't make it easier for anyone. I am one of those individuals who have raised guilt to an art form, so this will burden me for a while. Still, I would rather feel something than be without accountability and consequently guilt. Emotions are what connect us with other people; they show how we react to the world. There are no "ups" to enjoy without having "downs". There is no growth without discomfort or pain. Growing pains of the emotional sort may be a natural course of events, but it doesn't make them any easier to accept.