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My goodbye lunch

By: Qwaider

On:Friday, October 03, 2008 8:41:29 PM
In:Thoughts
Viewed: (5868) times

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Today, my old company where I spent the last 8 years of my life decided to honor me with a last meal. A ritual that has been passed on from generation to generation.

As I look back at the ritual, I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't really in honor of those who have passed, but to boost the morale of those who stayed.

In fact, looking at all these "in honor of" and "in memory of". It's always about those who remain, not the ones who "moved on". (Of course I get to join in on this one, thank God)

Humans are social creatures by instant, we seek others, we create families, tribes, societies and we try to stick together. We try to comfort each other. Food appears to be one thing that always united people as it seems. That's why it has great presence in just about every occasion. Happy? have some food. Sad? Flush it away with some food.

It's amazing how time flies. Few years back, I was this junior engineer, full of enthusiasm and dreams that span the earth and heaven. As I grow it seems, dreams seem to start taking more defined shape, much smaller than when I first started. But one thing remained, passion and enthusiasm. I hope they continue to be there

As it seems, those who remain behind are the ones who feel the pain and frustration of being left behind ... It doesn't matter if the person has moved on to a better place or worse... Thank god it was better in my case

That might not be the end of it, but seriously, Why do we commemorate occasions with these last meals!?

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Memories....

#1
a different perspective
Said
On: 10/3/2008 11:03:14 PM

Good Luck in your better place!

#2
Fadi Khashashneh
Said
On: 10/4/2008 12:58:58 AM

Best of luck in your next job.

#3
Hani Obaid
Said
On: 10/4/2008 9:31:41 AM

I don't know about this meal specifically, but I disagree that the goodbye meal given to workers is for the people that remain. I happened to give one such meal myself to a very dear colleague of mine before he left. Call it a desire to want to spend time with them one more time. Somehow I spend more time with my colleagues than I do with my own family, and when a colleague leaves, it's like someone left the family, and I'm unlikely to see them more than once a month.

That and you said it food gets any party going !

#4
Simple Me
Said
On: 10/4/2008 1:08:02 PM

C'mmon it's not like the way you put it here, I have never looked at it this way. This is a negative way to look at things! :S

#5
Marvin
Said
On: 10/8/2008 5:10:56 AM

How nice of them to give a meal in "your" honor! Yes, I have noticed that such gatherings are more about those who stay than about those who leave. I prefer not to go to such things. And I won't want one if/when I leave. It helps that we are all dispersed at our compay - we rarely see each other anyway. ;-)

#6
Secret Window
Said
On: 10/9/2008 11:44:25 PM

I couldn’t help but think of the Last Supper/Passover reference as I was reading your post. I don’t know much about Christian/Jewish myths and holidays but I think that when god spared the Jews from being killed in Egypt, they had the Passover meal to celebrate that they got away….so ur farewell meal is to celebrate that you escaped ur old job…I think 

However in the Christian Last Supper, Jesus’s meal was the last he had with his people before he was killed….sooo hmmm ur farewell meal mite symbolize honoring u b4 saying bye…..or worst it could mean saying bye to you before they kill you off from their lives, or before you move to yr next job will be horrible (and hence the death analogy)….or maybe its simply when ppl gather there has to be food/drink involved and my Jewish/Christian explanations have noth to do with it.