I stopped by my very first workplace on Thursday as I was around the area. I left the organisation in the first half of 2024 as a career move and am proud to say we parted in good terms. I had a great working relationship with the overwhelming majority of my colleagues so it's certainly a place am exited to visit.
My brief time there visiting was filled with both nostalgia and gratitude. On one hand it was very exciting to see old friends and colleagues who expressed mutual excitement seeing me. On the other hand, about half of the people I worked with had exited the system or the location during the period. While I technically am among the exits, I did imagine a time when there would be no recognizable face in the future.
There is also the possibility for instance of the entire business shutting down and vacating the area. That disastrous scenario isn't one that doesn't happen, as there have been quite a few examples we can reference. I could come back after a while and see that the space has been turned into something completely different like a classroom for example.
I sometimes imagine it with Hive too. All those periods I go on break, imagine if I resumed and don't see the people I've become accustomed to over the years. It would be a very bleak place and probably one not worth staying much longer. There's a reason why family and familiar sounds a lot alike. Something well known is something that provides security even during rough periods.