"You stand relieved from the services of the company ..."

.. And it was done. With those words on my relieving letter, the first phase of my professional life came to an end. And after all the anticipation, that had lasted for more or less the entire notice period, I realized I had not thought beyond this point. Suddenly I was scared.

I have always believed that happiness is directly related to the number of things a person has to look forward to. They may be simple things like catching up on lost sleep over the weekend or mentally irking things like getting no dues from every department in Aricent. Either ways, these things act like distant nondescript sign boards on the highway of life. Sometimes they may be ordinary snippets having no information and sometimes they'll be valuable for your journey, but either ways, their anticipation, is what makes the entire journey endurable. It's fun to watch these distant objects grow, as you approach, into interesting forms and then watch them as you pass them by, sometimes happier, sometimes aggrieved, but amused nonetheless. And then you spot the next one!

For the past 2 months all anticipation, all 'looking forward' to was about parting ways with Aricent. And now that the time had come I felt I was grossly unprepared. Standing in plot 31, taking the elevator down, I realized how much a part of myself I was leaving behind. It was comprehension of the fact that though it had always been my choice to part ways, the option did not belong to me anymore. Aricent had let go of me too. Life henceforth might be equally good or worse or better but it would never be the same...

"Thank you for one heck of a ride" a.k.a last day @ Aricent

"Something hidden.
Go and find it. 
Go and look behind the ranges. 
Something lost behind the ranges, lost and waiting for you. 
Go."
--Rudyard Kipling

Today I part ways with Aricent, I guess just to look beyond the ranges, in search of the all elusive happiness. 
Aricent will always hold a special place in my heart. A place where I found how the world works outside the confines of college walls.
I think of all the years of my life so far, I've grown the most in my two years stay here. Professionally, socially and emotionally it has been an indulging lesson of life. 
I am thankful to all of you, for all the warm support extended in my stay here. Thank you for the lessons that you have knowingly and unknowingly bestowed upon me. And regardless of whether I found these lessons bitter or sweet, there is no denying they made me better suited to tackle life. You guys truly made my stay here a memorable one.
I will still very much remain a part of the software fraternity, a family of young, enthusiastic people who make this industry such a fun place to work. Just that my x-y co-ordinates would have changed to Noida. 
I hope we always stay in touch, I'll certainly try to. You can reach me at ashishdua123@gmail.com. 
Wishing all of you fare well in lives. 
Cheers and God Bless
Ashish Dua

A space misplaced

Though I've used the word farewell a million times in my life, never until today did I doubt its atomicity. Only when I got the farewell card from GKM, Arun and others that I realized it is "fare well". Well here is hoping you guys fare well too and so does our friendship!
Cheers!