The Game Changers

Remember how in kindergarten, kids meet other kids…and then for no apparent reason, two minutes later they are the best of friends. Their friendship lasts longer than most lives and they see each other through the good and bad times growing the bond stronger... I never had that. And remember how when people ask, “what time of life would you want to relive?” and people would have a couple of answers for that one?... Well I didn’t have that either.

In fact, my friends who I thought were really close to me got changed with years until I didn’t know them anymore. I always used to think why I don’t have a single time in my life that I would want to relive? Why my friends are not as close to me as my sisters’ friends? I never really got the answers until I went to an unknown city of an unknown country. I met with these four extremely beautiful and crazy girls when I entered my office the first time.

1.    Tinkerbell: I call her that because of the glow she had with her. She was six months pregnant when I met her but it wasn’t because of that. She was naturally the light of the place. Whenever she would leave the office early because of her doctor appointments, I could almost see the darkness she was leaving behind. She made my life so much easier by being my family there. Her kids welcomed me in their lives like I was their own. Her dog was crazy but extremely adorable (And the people who know me would know that I am scared to death of dogs… can’t stand them) and he made me love him.

2.    Old lady: She wasn’t as old as she kept on reminding all of us. Another extremely beautiful and crazy person I met on my first day. She was the first friend I made, who confided in me and made me comfortable in a completely new place. She would get anxious so easily and get aggravated when things wouldn’t go right. But instead of calming her down we all would laugh. We are jerks and we are so proud of it.

3.    Coconut: I always heard about people who were rough on the edges and soft inside, but it was the first time I actually came across someone like that. I was so scared of her in the beginning that I would truly want to hide if she called my name. In time I realized how much she loved and cared for me. She could actually break a rib if somebody would call me names. The big sister at work.

4.    The Boss: This girl, changed the concept of “Boss”. She is the most adorable thing in the world. Six years younger than me but still way older in her level of maturity and compassion. She is cool, smart, patient and extremely lovable. And yes… she was our boss. When I told her I am leaving, she cried her eyes out. I never saw that coming.

These people made me realize how life is easier if you don’t have to pretend anything. I was completely myself with them. I would be sarcastic, swearing, extremely loud and mostly crazy. The place felt like another world… like kindergarten. In a team of 25 people, I loved every single one of them for their craziness and honesty. I could not wait to go to the office and stayed sad on the weekends for not being able to meet them. I used to go to the office even when I was sick or with a sore throat just to hang out.

I have left many offices and never felt sad because there was always something better that I was moving forward for. I was always excited for a change. Even though people would say they would miss me, I never really said it back. This time it was different. The moment those crazy ladies handed me a sunflower bouquet with a card signed by EVERYONE, I knew this is the time in my life I would want to relive… and I would want it to last longer. And how in the world did they know about sunflowers??? I would never know.

When I left that office, I realize it wasn’t them who were losing me… it was the other way around. Thanks for being THE GAME CHANGERS. I finally have friends who know how crazy I am and still love me