Jeremy L. Berg

One of the moments that marks one’s journey are the “cleaning out the office” experiences on the last day at a job. I’m 30 and this is the first real office I’ve cleaned out.  Some are less fortunate and have cleaned out the office (or cubicle) dozens of times, each time leaving a person more and more cynical and disillusioned.

Sit-coms and movies often caricature the occasional disgruntled employee being followed around by a security guard as they hastily pack up a box and storm out of the corporate office building in a rage.

I am neither disillusioned or angry today.  Just sentimental and reflective…

Each time you grab that cardboard box and begin cleaning out drawers, sorting through files, and packing up photos, one finds themselves doing some personal inventory and being awash with a myriad of emotions and thoughts.

• Gratitude for the all the friends you’ve gained.
• Touched by all the happy times you’ve shared.
• Nostalgic remembering back to how it felt moving into this job (my first day was Halloween and everyone was in costume — strange first impressions).
• Sad that the time went so fast and wondering if I took this season and people for granted.
• A deep sense of loss and emptiness inside.
• Excitement and trepidation about what lies ahead.

Just a mishmash of emotions.  I now sit here my last day with blank walls and empty drawers.  Blank walls are a double-edged metaphor for a youth pastor in my shoes.  On the one hand, the blank walls bring tears because they used to be filled with the faces of my students I’ve grown to love and shared so many memories with.

On the other hand, the blank walls symbolize new beginnings and a blank slate — both for me as I go on to new adventures with new faces, as well as the people I leave behind who will begin a new and exciting season without us. While many may disagree, I think new is good and change brings growth.  But there is plenty of sadness mixed into the bag as well.

At the end of the day, I think “clean out your office” days are necessary because they force us to stop long enough to reflect upon where God currently has us in this all-too-short journey we call life.  Cleaning out the office makes you grateful for the journey so far, and expectant and prayerful for the path ahead.  As the ancient philosopher said, “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.”

So, maybe we all need to stop daily and do some spiritual inventory.  Don’t wait until a job switch to pause long enough to appreciate the photos and faces decorating your walls and the drawers filled with evidence of tasks faithfully accomplished.

Our entire lives are just a longer version of the particular jobs we’ve held.  It won’t last forever, so make the most of where God has you today.  Serve faithfully, work diligently and be grateful for whichever office, cubicle, or workplace you currently inhabit.

And when it’s time to clean out the office and move on, do so gracefully.