My routine had been disrupted. Well, life had been disrupted.
Today I resumed the routine of getting up early, ready and out the door for work. It was my first day back to the office after being out for about a month on leave. I wasn’t sure how the day would go, I was nervous in anticipating awkwardness and having to say the words–“we lost the baby.”
On the train ride, I was finding myself typically observant, but my eyes filled with tears most of the ride there. Again, anticipating.
I got a couple of hugs saying that they were glad to have me back. I quickly absorbed myself with the mundane. Checking email. Responding to email. Sharing laughs with my cubicle mate. Nobody asked me what happened. Nobody said they were sorry. They just were glad to see that I was back. I was thankful for that.
So, in the end, it was like ripping off a band-aid. The hard part is over.
I am most thankful to my boss. He helped spread the word prior to my return, as I asked him to do. They were very respectful of my privacy, so nobody really knew why I was out. To him, I’m incredibly thankful. It made today a little less awkward.
I end the day with great relief. A nice long day. A good day.
XO, Isabel
There’s a comfort in the routine performance of work in a safe, comfortable environment. You’re fortunate to have a respectful supervisor and workmates. Here’s to more “normal” for right now!