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It’s Just Business.

by Ruth Ann Harnisch on 02/04/10 at 9:30 pm

Day 35

Even though I’ve stepped away from my usual work, there’s one appointment I’m keeping every week.

It’s a team meeting held at the same time on the same day every week, and it’s been going on for years.  Very rarely do we skip a week; very rarely does any one of the participants fail to be represented (or excused with permission).

Even though it’s my sabbatical, there are some projects that require my timely, personal input. I am happy to participate in the meetings. We do anticipate a completion date for the project.

There will be a sense of loss when the project is complete and the team disbands. I’ve experienced it dozens of times. When I was a young person, I grieved profoundly for these losses. Now, I know it’s just business. If I’ve enjoyed working with the people, that’s a plus, not necessarily a prologue.

I’ve finally learned to know the difference between a professional acquaintance and a personal relationship.

Now I can fully enjoy a good professional relationship while it’s happening, without worrying about the inevitable change that relationship will one day undergo.

I appreciate relationships for what they are, not mistaking them for something more or different than they actually are.