And every now and then, when I’m leaving the office after a long day and the building is mostly empty, I pass the glass wall near the lobby and catch my own reflection.
Older now than I was then.
A little grayer at the temples.
A little thicker around the middle.
Still carrying too much responsibility on some days.
Still worrying more than Emily says is healthy.
Still trying.
But when I look at that reflection, I don’t see the man who got fired.
I see the man who stopped.
And I think that made all the difference.