在我居住的Joo Chiat區域，有間選品店，週末會有小小的市集，提供一些店家或品牌快閃曝光的機會。
之前曾經有家好吃的麵包店在這此擺攤，因此每逢路過我都會進去逛逛，期待可以再次抱得香噴噴的麵包而歸。
昨天瑜伽課後，我再次踏進這間店準備碰碰運氣。
當我的雷達全神貫注在尋找麵包時，突然間，意外地有人叫了我的名字：
「Amber！」。
驚訝之餘，才發現原來是兩週前剛離開公司的COO。
這個週末，他來到這裡擺攤，宣傳他自創的男用Underwear品牌。
他是一位溫暖熱情的加拿大人，當他還在公司時，週一早晨總會收到他的Motivation Letter。
這些信件溫暖的問候，曾經帶給當時甫到新加坡的我，不小的溫暖及鼓勵。
在我感到徬徨時，他的信件總會時不時的提醒我，是以什麼樣的初衷選擇來到新加坡。
今年開始，我們公司開始進行組織調整，身為營運長的他也承受了不小的壓力與挫折。於是不知道從哪天開始，我們再也收不到他週一的Motivation Letter，終於直到兩週前，信箱再度久違地出現他的email，標題卻是「Your Monday Motivation – Saying Goodbye」。
當時讀完他的信時，我難過的哭了，一來是公司這段時間的組織重整，我的心裡也承受了不小的壓力，二來是隨著同事不斷地離開，讓我覺得我在新加坡的第一個階段，真的要結束了，似乎有種被迫長大的感覺，同時也因為未知的一切而感到迷惘。
這段時間種種的委屈及不安，在讀了他的信之後，彷彿找到了一個宣洩的出口（他的文筆真的很好）。
下面是他道別信的內容：
主旨: 你的週一晨間激勵 - 是時候說再見
早安，親愛的團隊：
今天的「Monday Motivation」有點特別，原因有兩個：1）今天並不是星期一，而是星期五；2）這將是我的最後一封信。
今天的這封信，獻給過去五年來我有幸共度大部分時光的每一位同仁。告別雖然令人難捨，卻是人生中無法迴避的一部分，
而我們應該學會以優雅的姿態去面對它。
歲月如織，我們的步伐曾行經過許多奇妙的路途，遇見了許多令人欽佩的人，學習了無數寶貴的知識。無論是光輝燦爛的日子，
還是略顯黯淡的時刻，它們都豐富了我們的生命旅程，而我們也在這條路上不斷成長。
每一段經歷，不論長短，都是人生這幅畫作中精彩的一筆。回首往事，將那些細碎的瞬間一一串聯起來，這些經歷最終構成了我們的
人生軌跡，成為我們餘生中最珍貴的回憶。因此，我們要學會好好珍惜每一段時光，因為它們將成為我們最終能帶走的唯一財富。
在這些歲月中，我們經歷了無數充滿喜悅的相逢，也不得不面對許多不可避免的離別。我們帶著力量、優雅和快樂開始這段旅程，
並應當努力以同樣的姿態讓自己被記住。
我感到無比幸運，能夠走過這麼多截然不同的道路，結識了許多了不起的人。雖然告別總是讓人不捨，但每一次離別都不是步入黑暗，
而是通向新旅程的起點。
有些告別是我自己選擇的，有些則不是，但每一次告別都讓我領悟了兩個珍貴的道理：
1）一切發生皆有其因；2）當一扇門關閉時，另一扇門必將為我們敞開。
在每一次告別的時刻，我最想感謝的是那些一路陪伴我們前行的人——那些引領我們、陪我們歡笑與哭泣、與我們一同度過滔天洪水、
在我們失意時伸出援手、耐心教導我們、與我們共同奮戰在Excel表格中的同伴。他們是我們心中永遠的英雄，我由衷地對他們說一聲：
謝謝。
因此，我要感謝大家在過去五年裡與我共同經歷的每一個瞬間。我們一同達到了起初似乎遙不可及的高度，這是一段充滿奇蹟的旅程。
能擁有這樣一段讓人難以說再見的回憶，我感到無比幸運。
永遠向前！並請牢記……全力以赴。
XXX
信的最後還放上了這張圖，是要逼哭誰。
他最讓我難忘的，是他的熱情與真忱，雖然位高權重，有時卻仍然像個大男孩，即便在他也不好過的那段日子裡，仍然可以感覺到他希望帶給團隊希望與鼓勵，這是讓我覺得他很特殊也很難能可貴的地方。
他的信也讓我想起了最近在Emily in Paris聽到Mindy的「Beautiful Ruins」的歌詞：
We build this city brick by brick
It’s kinda funny isn’t it
How we almost had it all
We worked our fingers to the bone
We made a castle of our own
But then we watched this kingdom fall
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’re alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
But I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
Darling that’s just how it goes
It’s one door open, one door closed
It’s nothing tragic in the end
So go ahead, and say goodbye
Cause there’s an empirе in my mind
And I can build it all again
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’rе alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
And maybe life is what you make
You know this heart can take the flames
But just remember once you break it
It will never be the same
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’re alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
這首歌提醒我，廢墟餘燼中，依然有美麗潛藏其中。
因此，這個沒有預期的偶遇，真的讓我很驚喜也很溫暖。
場景轉換，雖然不再是在辦公室，他依舊熱情開心地和我介紹著他的品牌。
他的品牌是男用服飾（目前有內褲和襪子），明星產品的男用內褲主打「Ball room」設計，讓男性使用者在穿著時有空間安置自己的寶貝。雖然我可能暫時無法體會這個產品的好，不過看到他就算離開後，還是擁有自己喜愛的品牌可以投入，內心仍然為他感到開心。
誰會知道和之前的COO會有這樣討論男用內褲的對話呢？雖然聽起來可能有點突兀，但似乎也莫名的感到有點溫馨。
只是想把這段有點可愛的回憶紀錄下來。
P.S.
根據D的實穿心得，他認為真的有比較舒服。這種支撐或被保護的感覺，或許跟女生的運動內衣是類似的概念？
In the neighbourhood of Joo Chiat where I reside, there’s a quaint little concept store that hosts a small weekend market, offering pop-up opportunities for local vendors and brands. Once, a delightful bakery set up a stall there, and ever since, I’ve made it a habit to pop in whenever I pass by, hoping to once again take home some of that aromatic, freshly baked bread.
Yesterday, after finishing my yoga class, I found myself stepping into the store again, on a hopeful bread-hunting mission. As my senses were on high alert, searching for the elusive bakery goods, something unexpected happened — someone called out my name:
「Amber！」。
To my surprise, it was none other than our former COO, who had left the company just two weeks ago. This weekend, he was here, manning a stall and promoting his new venture — a men’s underwear brand he had started on his own.
He’s a warm, spirited Canadian, and during his time at the company, Monday mornings often arrived with a heartfelt “Motivation Letter” from him. These weekly messages, filled with thoughtful encouragement, offered a comforting sense of warmth and reassurance to me, especially when I had just moved to Singapore and was feeling a little lost. During moments of uncertainty, his letters were a gentle reminder of why I had chosen to embark on this journey in the first place.
At the beginning of this year, our company underwent organisational restructuring, and as the COO, he faced tremendous pressure and challenges. Eventually, his Monday letters ceased without notice. Then, two weeks ago, my inbox finally received an email from him again, but this time the subject line read, “Your Monday Motivation – Saying Goodbye.”
I wept as I read his farewell letter. The organisational changes at work had taken their toll on me as well, and with colleagues leaving one after another, I couldn’t help but feel that my first chapter in Singapore was drawing to a close. It felt like I was being forced to grow up, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead left me feeling unsettled.
All the emotions, the frustration, and the anxiety I had been holding onto found release as I read his words — his writing truly has a way of touching the heart.
Below is the email from him：
Title: Your Monday Motivation - Saying Goodbye
Good morning Team,
Welcome to an extra special 'Your Monday Motivation' for a couple reasons,
1) The most obvious one that today is Friday, and 2) It will be my last one.
The message today, to the greatest people I've had the honour over the past 5 years to spend most of my waking time with:
Saying Goodbye is hard, but just a part of life, and we should manage them gracefully.
Our wander through the years takes us through many curious paths, meeting fantastic people, learning awesome things.
Good days, bad days, they're part of the journey and we take them in stride.
Each of these experiences, long or short, are blips in the time of a life well lived. These experiences, looking back and connecting
the dots, are how, in the end, we chart our journey, and the only memories we'll ultimately have, so it is up to us to live them well.
Through each of these experiences, there are many enthusiastic hellos, and many inevitable goodbyes. We come in strong,
gracious, happy, and we should fight to be remembered in the same way.
I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to journey down various, very different paths. I've also said goodbye many,
many times, to many, many great people and experiences. Its never easy, but its not as if you walk into a black hole.
Some of these goodbyes have been of my own choosing, some not, and there are two wonderful lessons I've taken from each
1) Everything happens for a reason and 2) When one door closes, another one opens.
At each goodbye, and above it all, we will hold the people who guided us, stuck with us, laughed with us, cried with us, walked
through flooded hallways with us, picked us up when we were down, were patient to teach us, worked through countless
spreadsheet numbers with us, had our backs, and were simply there for us, on a mantle to say, THANK YOU.
So to you all, a heartfelt thank you for all of these experiences over the last five years. What an incredible journey, reaching
heights that were initially thought impossible, together with you all.
How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Go Go! And please remember.... GSD.
XXX
At the end of the email, he attached a picture, almost as if to make sure there wasn’t a dry eye left.
What I will remember most about him is his passion and sincerity. Despite his high-ranking position, there was always something boyishly earnest about him. Even during his toughest days, you could still feel his desire to uplift the team, to offer hope and encouragement. This is what made him so special and unforgettable.
His email also reminded me of the song “Beautiful Ruines “I recently heard from Emily in Paris.
We build this city brick by brick
It’s kinda funny isn’t it
How we almost had it all
We worked our fingers to the bone
We made a castle of our own
But then we watched this kingdom fall
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’re alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
But I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
Darling that’s just how it goes
It’s one door open, one door closed
It’s nothing tragic in the end
So go ahead, and say goodbye
Cause there’s an empirе in my mind
And I can build it all again
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’rе alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
And maybe life is what you make
You know this heart can take the flames
But just remember once you break it
It will never be the same
It’s the crying that reminds us, we’re alive
It’s the cracks that let the light in, sometimes
I can see the diamonds in the dust
There’s beauty in the ruins of us
This reminded me that beauty can still be found even in the ashes of ruins.
This unexpected encounter, in the middle of a market, felt both heartwarming and serendipitous.
Though the setting had shifted from the office to a weekend market, his enthusiasm remained unchanged as he eagerly introduced me to his new brand.
His brand focuses on men’s fashion, currently offering underwear and socks. The star product is a men’s brief with a “Ball room” design, which provides extra comfort and space. Although I may not fully appreciate the utility of this feature firsthand, I’m genuinely happy for him — it’s heartening to see that even after leaving the company, he has something he’s passionate about to pour his energy into.
Who would have thought that I’d be discussing men’s underwear with our former COO? It might sound a little odd, but somehow, there was a certain warmth to the moment.
I just wanted to jot down this endearing little memory.
P.S.
According to D’s personal experience, the difference is real. Perhaps this feeling of support and protection is similar to what women experience with sports bras?
1 comment
喜歡COO的文字，感覺他是個真誠又感性的人