Counting down the days

I'm a little sad today..
I was called to human resources to sign my "release" papers..
I'm down to 7 working days at a job I thought I would retire from..
But it's kind of like when a loved one dies..
When someone dies unexpectedly, it's much more difficult on that persons family..
I believe I watched my grandmother die for over a year.. She had emphysema.. And it was a slow miserable way to die.. When she finally passed, it was almost a relief.. We had watched her suffer for so long..
The ironic part is.. The day she died was the very day I started at Heatcraft.. I came to work at 7:30 that morning.. She died at like 8..
I think the past 10 months have been like that (a long slow death) here at Heatcraft..
When they first made the announcement, I was in denial.. I figured it was no big deal, and was just going to be a nice severance package for me to live on, while I take my time figuring out what direction I'm headed..
I didn't realize the affect every person here had on me..
Whether I like them or got along with them, or not.. I was affected by all of them.. It really was a family.. And with every family, some siblings get along better than others..
There are less than 10 of us left now.. And as each person left, a piece of me left with them..
(and a couple of them keep leaving and coming back, taking with them even more pieces of me)..
We all say we'll keep in touch.. And we all might, for a while.. But eventually we'll get wrapped up in our new lives and Heatcraft will be a distant memory..
A few years from now, we might pass an old Heatcraft "sibling" at the mall (if there still is a mall).. We might smile a little or nod.. But we'll be thinking to ourselves "they probably don't even remember me".. Or it may even be us thinking "I know him from somewhere.. but I can't remember where"..
Signing my papers this morning, finalized things for me.. And it's bitter sweet..
The last few months have taken a toll on me.. My friends and family would confirm that.. It's been a long slow death at Heatcraft.. High stress with no reward.. I'm exhausted and tearful at all times.. Every conversation I have, somehow turns to me being consumed with the shutdown and unemployment (sorry everyone)..
It will be sweet to finally let that go.. The relief part of a long suffering death..
Walking away from 10 years with my Heatcraft family, very bitter.. and very sad..
And to all you Heatcrafters reading, or lurking (see "a frog and her blog"), if you see me at the mall, say hi..
If I don't remember you, I'll pretend like I do.... ;)