A touch of grey
A few days after receiving Seth’s email, the boy’s board of directors decided to hold a special meeting. Change was coming, and all of the parts needed to be in sync if they were going to help the boy.
Things got off to a rough start. The PR person was trying to convince everyone that the abrupt halt to their therapy sessions this summer was the root cause of the change. “We clearly did something wrong when we canceled our sessions, and Seth has sent a message that he’s had enough,” she said. The CEO just laughed and shook his head, reminding the PR person that those were the thoughts of an unhealthy three. “We are not the center of everyone’s universe. Those thoughts are not helpful, and more importantly, they don’t capture the nature of who we have become.” The PR person held onto her beliefs but understood the CEO’s message.
The CEO looked at the CFO and simply asked, “Can we afford these investments, and if so, are they the right use of our funds?” One by one, each board member realized that the CEO was talking about existing in a world without Seth. No one was prepared for that outcome, let alone the thought of it. The boardroom was eerily quiet for the first time in many years.
The CEO noticed the anxiousness in the room and asked the board members to name the emotions they were feeling. They responded with “fear,” “regret,” “sorrow,” and “anger.” Silence returned to the room. The HR leader suggested that the team take a few cleansing breaths to help the emotions pass. It was the right idea. By about the fifth breath, a sense of calm returned to the room.
Out of nowhere, a loud knock echoed through the room. When the door opened, the boy stood in front of them. He smiled. He loved them—admired them all for the times that they protected him, nourished him, and above all, guided him. He softly said, “We have to move on.” With a twinkle in his eye, he smiled again, turned around, and left the room.
The CEO looked at the team and said, “Our decision has been made.”
Sadness lingered in the air. The COO recognized it and reminded everyone that they faced a similar issue many years ago. The fitness trainer who taught him what peak performance looked like, who showed him how to truly train, left him to become a nurse. They were convinced that the boy would never successfully train on his own, but in time, they witnessed something remarkable. All those little training routines remained with the boy. He was able to remember what she had shown him and continued to train without her. To this day, she is with him—in his thoughts and in his heart. And the training continues.
The HR person couldn’t help but think about how much it hurt to lose someone they respected, someone who could challenge them to get the best out of them. To this day, no one likes to remember that sadness.
The attorney pounded his fist on the table, reminding everyone that was the nature of a professional relationship. Yes, in the confines of those four walls, they formed a bond that, at its very core, felt like a friendship. But those feelings were beyond the scope of the contract, and they needed to face the reality in front of them.
The VP of Marketing responded, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck. Say what you want, but we love Seth. He took our torment and gave us calm. He showed us kindness, but more importantly, showed us how to be kind to ourselves. We need to tell him that, even if it’s beyond the ‘nature of the relationship.’”
Everyone agreed.
After a moment of reflection, the CEO remarked on all the good that had happened in the months following their last meeting with Seth. Time after time, the boy took what he had learned from those sessions and lived through those experiences in ways that would make Seth proud. He had the list memorized and couldn’t wait to share it with him. They too were proud of his accomplishments.
Then, he smiled and said, “All the conversations, all the teachings, all of everything the boy and Seth did together is now a part of the boy.” He called for a motion to appoint a new board member. His title would be SETH—Senior Executive for Therapeutic Harmony. The motion was approved unanimously. The new board member entered the room and took his seat at the table.
The CEO looked at the team and said, “The only thing left to do is to continue Seth’s mission—to reach, connect, and grow.”
In the quiet that followed, the boy knew this would be a promise he would work tirelessly to fulfill. He would cherish his memories with Seth and carry a part of him in his heart.