There were words of wisdom about work-life balance;
Words about finance, leadership or mission.
But the one thing they didn’t tell me, was about the things I’d carry.
There were handshakes, high-fives, and congratulatory gifts;
A giant red ribbon cut by a large pair of scissors and a special engraved groundbreaking shovel.
But the one thing they didn’t tell me, was about the things I’d carry.
There were logos, trademarks, and websites;
T-shirts with said logo and business cards with said trademark;
But the one thing they didn’t tell me, was about the things I’d carry.
No one mentioned the sleepless nights;
Nights spent thinking about how to balance fair wages with the cost of services.
Nights spent thinking about the employee who struggles to pay their bills.
Nights filled with these things I carry.
No one mentioned the excitement of an employee finishing an advanced degree;
The joy you feel for them and the secret anxiety that follows;
Anxiety that you might lose them to a company who can afford to better compensate them;
Anxiety from these things I carry.
No one mentioned the hard decisions I’d have to make about the fine line between empathy and expectations;
The balance of creating an environment grounded in humanness;
Humanness that makes hard decisions even more challenging;
The weight of these things I carry.
But no one mentioned the joy I’d feel when I witness an employee succeed at something;
The one thing they thought they weren’t capable of;
When they experienced the joy of believing in themselves;
Joy from the things I carry.
So, I’ll carry the worry for the chance to experience the wonder;
I’ll carry the sadness for the chance to experience the success;
I’ll carry the risk for the chance to experience the reward.
The sleepless nights, anxiety and challenges all make a person appreciate;
Appreciate the one thing they didn’t tell me;
The joy I’d feel from having made a difference;
So, all of these things, I’ll gladly carry.
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