Okay, in reading Robert-Jan Broer's post on his pursuit and purchase of a GMT Master (Rootbeer) -
 |
| Courtesy of Tudor |
I got to thinking of "What's Next?" in my own collection. Before going on, let me state plainly that I have resolved to thin the herd by about 5 pieces. It is important to understand that as I work for/with/represent several brands, I have no small amount of choice when I go to the bank deposit box to select something for the week.
With that being said, I am getting to a certain point where priorities are most assuredly shifting. Like most Americans I will likely be working closer to my 70s rather than my 60s. Overall, I'm okay with that as Wendy and I don't have kids (meaning no grandchildren to fuss over and take up our time ; )
But moreover, I have gotten to a point where apart from "work watches" (which I love, don't get me wrong!), I tend to wear 2 or 3 in particular, meaning that while they are secure in the bank box, several watches are just sitting there, where they are safe, but unworn and (unintentionally) under appreciated. So in the next few months I hope to remedy that. If you are looking for a good deal on some pre-owned time machines, follow my feed on Instagram for buying options -
https://www.instagram.com/henki_time/
But back to the matter at hand -
As mentioned in the second half of my Geneva notes, I returned to the Boston and learned my Aunt's husband was quite ill. She and his daughter worked tirelessly and selflessly to take care of him for a few weeks until he had to be hospitalized, and he passed shortly thereafter. And this really resonated with me. I think we tend to trivialize long-enduring relationships as something everyday or common. And of course if we think about it, we realize that just isn't so. For over forty years their lives had been intertwined, learning each others shorthand, and maintaining their individuality while growing stronger together.
"Okay Henki - what's this got to do with watches?"
Fair question, allow me to retort -
A watch, be it a mighty Rolex or a $10 Snoopy Timex that your parents bought you in the 70s is not a "timepiece", rather it is a time machine. It has the ability to take you to a different time and place (hopefully a happy one). It can mark a milestone - such as a graduation, wedding, wedding anniversary, promotion, new job, etc. It can mark the end, and also the beginning.
And I think that I am coming up to a very pivotal point in my own life - both personal and professional. On the personal side? I've never been happier. Wendy and I will celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary this week. The brands I work with are doing well, and although bittersweet (as her longtime partner is no longer with her), I get to spend each summer with my Aunt. The work side I have come through what I can only describe as a crucible. For those unfamiliar, here is AI's take on the definition:
A crucible is a cup-shaped container, typically made of porcelain or metal, used in laboratories to heat and contain substances at high temperatures. It can also refer to a severe test or trial, or a place where things change or are influenced by concentrated forces. The word also appears in Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible", which is a powerful dramatization of the Salem witch trials, often used as a metaphor for political persecution and the dangers of mass hysteria.
I am currently the Executive Director of a MassHire Career Center. Our mission is to help people who have lost their job either enter or re-enter the workforce. This is done with counseling, as well as hard and soft-skill training. It is very challenging work, but also very rewarding. I work with a phenomenal team of extremely committed people. I wouldn't call it a family because that just seems like a cliche. But I have never worked with a team so focused, dedicated and united in what they do. So maybe it is what a work family could and should be. We will have a new operator on July 1, and we have been made to understand that many of us will be shown the door. I am, by and large, the newcomer with a little over 2 years spent. With that being said, I have colleagues with nearly 20 years invested in what they do, and it has been heartbreaking to watch them try to navigate this enormous change that they know is coming.
For me personally? It has been disappointing to see the work of the last two years get somewhat methodically pulled apart by the future operator, not unlike a sweater that slowly gets unravelled. And believe me when I say it, we did a lot in just the two years that I have been involved, and no doubt much more in the time before I arrived. It goes without saying that the only certainty in life is change. But change can and should be managed, but sometimes the way it gets managed is outside your control.
So again - "What's this got to do with watches?"
I was re-reading Will Guidara's best seller,
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
and he shared a quote from his father:
"Adversity is a terrible thing to waste."
Think about that for a minute.
My team did something remarkable these past few months, knowing full well that they would probably not be doing what they've been doing for the past 5 years or more, they continued to show up every day with a smile, focusing on helping our customers. Think about that. While the temptation might be to go into Eeyore mode, they continue to be professionals, right up to June 30!
And for some of us, this now presents an opportunity to explore other paths, to turn left at the fork in the road rather than the right turn that we have always taken up to this point. We have the power to put some control on our future by collectively saying that this is not something that happened to us, but something that is happening for us!
And for me, I want to mark what has been a career defining 2 plus years. I had great early success managing programs and teachers in Finland back in the 90s. I thought for sure my career path was set. I got a huge job in the US, moved home, and promptly failed. It was a series of very hard lessons to learn. What followed was a series of aimless jobs that (in truth) I was overqualified for, but felt secure and safe in that I would not have the burden of leadership and the fear of failure that accompanied it. Nearly 20 years later I found myself leading a team of 3, which grew to 10. Together we built one of the strongest adult education programs in the region, growing from 60 students to over 130 - and doing so during COVID. This led to my current (soon to be finished) tenure with MassHire. In 2 years we have achieved similar results in terms of our performance and the customers we have served. So again, this coming to an end is somewhat bittersweet.
So I know now that I can lead a team, that it is always worth fighting for what is right, and that I don't want to hide in the shadows any longer.
I am not a wealthy person, so the watch that will mark this new chapter will not be brand new. But I do want it to be special. I have a few things in mind, but the Tudor Black Bay GMT Steel and Gold seems to tick all of the boxes. Gold, but not "Gold-Gold".
 |
| Courtesy of Tudor |
A GMT feature which connects me to friends around the world, and in this instance I think not a bracelet. I think the black "fabric" strap lends itself more to my chosen career in the "helping business".
 |
| Courtesy of Tudor |
So that's all for now, stay tuned for the next dispatch.
Tempus Fugit!
No comments:
Post a Comment