Boundary

"Long time no see" she says in French. My back was turned as she was deep in conversation with another security guard at the Palais de Congres convention center where she works the same job. I had not wanted to interrupt but she stops her talk and comes straight to me.

I stop to greet her and she beams with happiness I suspect because she loves her job which she tells me she punches out of at quitting time without fail. She knows I'm retired and that there are 20 years between us and I tell her that sometimes those her age are already having burnouts. The boundary between work and personal time has been blurred.

I have made yet another friend and we feed off each other's energy. I will see her by happenstance maybe once every couple of weeks when our paths cross during my excursions. The regular contact with all of these people I know helps brighten my day.

Maybe she's got it right. Do a job with a clear boundary line and then go home and live your life.