Yesterday, I learned that my Office Fairy Godmother passed away. Although she touched the lives of many people in the old ad agency that I worked for, she holds a special place in my heart and in my career. She was one of the few leaders in my old workplace who advocated for me and believed in my talent and character.
She was one of those few bright spots in a place that felt like a rotting building. The work environment where I met her was traumatizing, and there’s so much you could hold on to. During my time there, I dealt with so much shit: workplace bullies, punitive workloads and schedules, and inflexible office rules.
Despite those challenges, Office Fairy Godmother rooted for me and did what she could to advocate for me. She moved me to a position where I could channel my geeky, chronically online self, and comforted me when things felt overwhelming at work. She also enjoyed listening to my random stories and questions, and looked out for me in a way that a coach would nurture her team.
Outside of my own experience in that company, I also witnessed how brave and generous she was towards so many people. She would give us treats from her travels, initiate office lunches, and offer networking opportunities for people. She also stood her ground whenever she would deal with our former managing director, who was a misogynist pig towards female employees. During my time in that hellhole, she once assigned me to go to an industry-wide assembly, where I could learn from people in my field while enjoying amazing food. Five years after that assembly, I am now surrounded by those greats, learning amazing things day by day.
Even though my time working with her was cut short by mass layoffs, I never really forgot her impact in my life. She sent me birthday greetings, which I found quite touching. Looking back at our conversations, I wish I had more opportunities to talk to her and share the things that are happening in my life, such as seeing Taylor Swift live again, meeting my office crush, going to workshops, and taking on tasks where I feel like I could express the autonomy and expertise that I once lacked in my advertising career.
I guess we can only express so much gratitude and joy towards a person throughout their lifetime. Oftentimes, the unspoken words that we have for those people come out when they are no longer with us.
Anyway, I hope my Office Fairy Godmother has a life of joy and ease in her next life. I also hope that she gets to inspire others in another universe with her kindness, patience, and grace. Lastly, I also hope that she gets to have a vast collection of Ferragamo bags and shoes that she can casually rotate at work.
P.S.: Tell the people who are close to you that you love them.
Until the next brain dump,
Lea