Breaking Up the Band

I have written about the band of brothers my husband, Mike, works with. They are the people we hang with, the people we count on, the ones we call friends. Since moving to Houston we found ourselves making new friends in his department, socializing, depending on, what we would do with any of our friends. His company has always provided us with our social life as well as his way to provide for our family.
For six years these folks and us have been tied to each other. We love them, and we are lucky enough to have them love us. When something great happens they are the ones who celebrate with us. When tragedy strikes, like when they lost Joe, we are the ones who cluster together in mourning.
Today is Mike's last day in that department. Having been faced with some very hard choices, Mike came home and told me about a job he was thinking about applying to. The job was with the company he has been loyal to for most of his adult life, the company that recently merged with another carrier. We talked ad nauseum about the pros and cons of him moving to another department and ultimately moving to Chicago.
The company sent out the message that his current department would be moving and the department he was thinking about applying to would be moving, but what we didn't know was how all of it would pan out for him, for us as a family.
We sat and talked for hours about making the change, and how it would effect us all in the end. Ultimately we decided it was best to protect his investment and for him to apply for the new job. It has been gut wrenching. At no point has any of this been easy. The idea of him going to the same building for now, without the comfort of our friends has left us feeling a little insecure and more than a little heart broken.
Since the merger, everyone has had to make hard choices. We have friends who feel forced into retirement in order to keep their home here in Houston. We have watched as others scrambled to go back to school in order to take different jobs. Still others have had to put their resumes on line, trying to get jobs that would allow them to stay here. Here is home for us, all of us. Most of us have family, children entrenched in the Houston lifestyle. Most of us have homes, friends, churches, clubs and entire lives here. Here is most definitely home. It has been a defining moment in our all lives.
Mike got the new job and starts tomorrow. Much like his current position, his responsibilities are fierce and the pressure is only going to increase. I know how smart, capable, solid in work ethic and reliable he is. My hope is they are kind to him and recognize what the rest of us already know.
Last night as we huddled together, my darling husband I, we talked about his last day with our friends. I saw the sadness in his eyes. We try and stay positive about all the changes his company is going through, but there is definitely doubt.
Michael is one his kind. He is unique in his want to learn more, do more, be more. He is the best of men, in work and home. I watch his face cloud over as he talks of not seeing his friends at work anymore. I promise him we will make the effort to stay in touch with all of them, so we don't lose our precious friendships. He nods and smiles at me, even as his heart breaks a little. "I have you," he says sweetly. I laugh at him and respond, "You really have to get out more!" And then we laugh.
We remain grateful that he has a job. I can't help but feel that so many of us are reduced to just being grateful for being employed. It doesn't seem like the stellar American way, this sad gratitude that we are somewhat forced to feel. But Mike and I have been through enough things to know that this very well could be the best thing to happen for us, even if we can't see it right now.
If/when he moves to Chicago, I will remain in our beloved retirement home, here in Houston. I feel sick inside thinking about my life without him on a daily basis. He will commute the 1200 miles back to me when he can, but the nightly ritual of having him home will no longer exist. I will put on my big girl panties and do what is necessary for my man friend. Other women have done it, so I am sure I can too.

It is all so uncertain, the outcome of what will happen next. For now, we want our friends, our band of brothers to know how much we love them. We want them to be certain that we are here for them, and should they ever need us we will gladly show up. It has been our honor, our privilege knowing them, sharing their lives and friendship. The company can make all the decisions they want about what is best for them, but the ties we have to our friends will last forever.