Professional Gratitude This Thanksgiving! Poem by Umasree Raghunath

Thanks to that one teacher
Who pushed an introvert forward to speak
Thanks to that one school fair
That taught us how to sell and make money
Thanks to that one Scouts & Guides Camp
That made us give back in the smallest way
Thanks to that first company
That believed that I too could make it
Thanks to the first manager and boss
Who showed where all I can grow
Thanks to the first mentor to show
In the career path ahead, that will glow
Thanks to the first company that closed
It showed you to get rid of comfort zone
Thanks to that first boss who screwed
It taught the fact of people around to learn
Thanks to that first pay cheque that bounced
It made me pack my bags to land afar to found
Thanks to the first empathy of a senior professional
That made you find a path breaking ground
Thanks to the first boss who asked you
To be affirmative and assertive too
Thanks to the first job offer that I didn't take
Learning to say no, that doesn't make you stay
Thanks to the first award that came my way
The professional in me, soared in pride
Thanks to the first international work trip
That taught me cultural and cross-border needs
Thanks to the teams I got to lead
Each one taught me lessons to feed
Thanks to the projects I could succeed
Each one taught me to handle crisis
The technical challenges and people constraints
Resources, infra, cost, wherever it takes
Thanks to the great MNCs I worked
Each one taught me great processes to hold
Thanks to the multi-dimensional experiences
That made me soft, at times shrewd, most times succeed
Thanks to the people across the world
Who worked on global projects in pride to hold
Thanks to the bosses who pushed me to quit
Sometimes, its important to pause, reflect and reuse
Your talents, your experience, your roadmaps
Identifying and repurposing time and again
On what makes you happy and health to retain
Thanks to the situations that scared me off
To show me how strong and resilient I can be of
Thanks to the people who drained me off
For I now, know what works and what wont!
Thanks to the clear decisions we take
After lots of retrospection and repurposing life
Thanks to the few U-Turns I did take
For that made me a better professional in make!
Thanks to every journey that came to end
For it meant, that a new journey ready to take
Thanks to every professional experience
I had, for it made me the person I gladly became!
Professions, Work, Jobs will all come to an end
Passions and purpose, that makes you happy
People and experiences, that make you complete
Learning, achievements and experience never end!

One big lesson with thanks: Hardwork is the only shortcut to success. Never Say Quit!