Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Thank you to my US Bank Friends

My Dear US Bank Friends and Co-workers,
I’ve put off writing this post for quite some time now because I haven’t wanted to think about being gone!  But as time moves steadily on, I did want to make sure I got in my sincere gratitude before too much time had passed.
A few weeks ago marked my 3rd year anniversary at U.S. Bank…It also marked my last week.  I remember distinctly during my first few weeks at the bank hearing people talk about their “U.S. Bank family” and I remember thinking that sounded strange, calling your co-workers family.  Work was work to me and I didn’t really understand what was meant by the phrase.  Now, three years later, I think I have a better understanding of what that phrase encompasses.
When you really stop and think about it, if you are working 40 hours a week (and many of you even more), you end up spending a huge majority of your “awake time” at work...The people you work with, your co-workers, are the people you spend most of your time with and (in my opinion) it is often your co-workers (and manager) that help you love or hate your job.  I don’t think it is any secret that I loved my job and loved working at U.S. Bank.  And I attribute much of my enjoyment (“employee engagement”, if you will) to the people I was blessed to work with and for.
I felt truly blessed to have the privilege to work alongside, learn from, observe and interact with some very talented professionals these past years.  More than that, I was blessed with some great friends and mentors.  When I look back at who I was when I started in October 2007 and who I was when I left in October 2010, I see tremendous growth both professionally and personally.  I have many of you to thank for that.  When I reflect on what work meant to me 3 years ago and what it means to me now, it is vastly different.  Again, thank you.  When I see the job expansion and job growth in my role over the years, I see growth and change and development, acquired knowledge, skills and abilities…all thanks to many of you. But perhaps most memorably, when I look back on all that has happened in 3 short years; I see many of you beside me.  I think of phone calls and emails and morning walks to the cafeteria and conversations over the cube walls.  I think of your excitement over my engagement, your happiness and best wishes at my wedding, your support, care and advice during (almost) 10 months of pregnancy, and I think of your shared joy over the birth of our son and your continued excitement over updated pictures and his various baby milestones.  And I think of your care and questions and best wishes as we made the decision to move our lives overseas.
I am sincerely grateful for your investment in my life, both professionally and personally.  Thank you for your patience, your mentorships, your advice, for the things you taught me and the ways you broadened my understanding of HR, of the Bank, the economy and of life.  Thank you for taking the time to explain things to me, to give me a chance to do things on my own, and for being patient with my questions and mistakes.  But mostly, thank you for your friendship and your kindness to me….I won’t forget the tremendous blessing each of you were to me and it is my sincere hope that you will keep in touch!  I’m sure our paths will cross again; this world isn’t that big after all!  Until then, may God bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you.
Most Sincerely, Sarah Houser

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