Of Goodbyes, Grace, and the Hundredth Page | Diary Entry - 14th June 2025

This morning was different. It had a strange stillness underneath all the movement. The kind of stillness that comes when a journey ends, not abruptly, but with a bow, a smile, and a memory.

It was my last morning meeting at WACEM.
I opened it the only way I knew best, through song.
I sang the full prayer, “Itni Shakti Hamein Dena Data…”, with my heart full and voice steady. Then I translated it, pausing after each line to reflect aloud - perhaps more for myself than anyone else. It wasn’t just a prayer anymore; it had become a rhythm of these last 7 months.

Mr. BVKR took over with his signature positivity. He made us all form a human chain, a garland of people connected by the journey we’ve shared. I stood in the center, recording a self-video as the entire group moved around me. It was surreal - like life circling back on itself, every face a chapter.

Then came the words - good words, kind words - for me.
Words that wrapped up all that had been said and done.
I responded the only way I could:
“Aadmi Musafir Hai… Aata Hai Jaata Hai…”
A man is a traveler. He comes, he goes. And leaves behind memories on the way.

I told them, we all are travelers. In this world, in this life, even in these plants we manage and leave behind. What stays are our memories and what we made others feel.

A Celebration of 60 Years and a Life Well-Lived

Soon after, we headed to a special ceremony - the 60th birthday of our senior-most colleague, Mr. Pekpe, a gentle and dignified man who has given decades to this plant.

The ceremony was held in a church, filled with joy, colour, voices, and life.
People were dancing, singing, celebrating - not just a birthday but an entire era.
I recorded many videos, two of which I posted on my WhatsApp status. The reactions poured in. They said the same thing I felt - this was a different energy, a different kind of farewell. Joyous, authentic, full of life.

Packing Up and Signing Off

After lunch, I closed my account - a symbolic gesture, but an important one.
In the evening, I began packing. It always hits during packing - each folded shirt, each unplugged charger, each item wrapped is like putting away little pieces of life lived.

We had a get-together at the club-house - my farewell gathering.
Chai and pakodas. Smiles and stories.
Laughter, selfies, old jokes, and new memories.
I took the opportunity to speak - not with formality, but with honesty.

I admitted my two big weaknesses: impatience and temperament.
I tried to fight them in the beginning. But some things don’t go away easily. Maybe it’s in the DNA, I said.

Over the years, I’ve learned that organisations have their own behavioural profiles, just like we do.
In my previous company, they expected me to be more aggressive.
Here, at WACEM, I was expected to tone down.
Neither is wrong. It’s just a matter of alignment.
Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it doesn’t.
And that’s life. It moves on.

One Hundred Pages Later…

This entry is not just about a day.
It is my 100th diary page.

And it’s also my last day at WACEM.
What a fitting coincidence. Maybe not a coincidence at all.

This diary was never just about cement, maintenance, or meetings.
It was about people. Emotions. Leadership. Failure. Frustration. Laughter. Reflection. And growth.

Tomorrow, at 8 AM, I leave for India.
But this is not an end. This is a handover - to another notebook, another title, another journey.

Key Points of the Day

  • Sang final morning prayer and translated it at the morning meeting.

  • Participated in a symbolic human chain activity, captured as a self-video.

  • Sang “Aadmi Musafir Hai…” as part of farewell remarks.

  • Attended 60th birthday celebration of Process Manager Mr. Pekpe at church - dancing, singing, vibrant energy.

  • Posted celebratory clips on WhatsApp, widely appreciated.

  • Settled all accounts post-lunch.

  • Began packing for departure.

  • Farewell gathering at clubhouse - chai, pakoda, stories, laughter.

  • Reflected on behavioural mismatches, D.I.S.C. profile, and realisations about personal nature vs organisational culture.

  • This marks the 100th diary entry and the final one at WACEM.



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