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The Traditions We Create Become the Memories We Frame
Cherishing home and workplace relationships
Enough cannot be said about the importance of being surrounded by good people in life. This is all the more important for thriving in the workplace. Working with supportive and positive people is important for individual and organizational success.
When I joined the university in 2012, my children, who were 8 and 5 years old, came along to work during the summer break. Our department staff person was so warm and welcoming of my children in the workplace, giving them balloons to keep them engaged. I’ll call her Lisa.
Lisa started a tradition of taking pictures of the children at the beginning of the academic year. She would then print them out and place them in a frame in my office. When we got our dog Max, he, too, joined the picture.
Because Lisa was scheduled for knee replacement surgery in August, she asked if my children could come in for their annual picture this week.
Yesterday was their annual photo day at the office. We placed the first picture from 2012 in the background. I woke up this morning to a text message from Lisa with the pictures. The tradition that started one summer morning continued for us to bear witness to see my children go from elementary school to…
