October 19, 2011 – It’s never been my nature to dwell on the past, when the future – always a bright siren call – beckons.
But today was our last day in what we at IHM affectionately refer to as “the Red Barn.” When I entered this morning, despite being totally focused on the demands of the day, without warning I felt an unexpected and visceral rush of sadness because the transition to our new office was really happening. Leaving the Red Barn is a little emotional. The barn has been good to us. Ten years good.
In that space and time, a lot happened. We grew from 3 people to seven. Our kids grew from toddlers to teens. We watched 9/11 unfold on the office TV. We struggled with, and then embraced, the new media that threatened to pull the rug out from under our business. We worried about the economy yet emerged a little more successful each year. We entertained clients and friends and tried to be good community members. As we grew, it was like adding to a family. Each new person became part of us, and IHM became inconceivable without them.
My Dad, well into his 90’s and a remarkable man, once said after my mom passed away: “Never Retreat.” I have always admired his forward thinking, and choose the same attitude for my own life. And so, despite the thin layer of melancholy about time passing and leaving the memories and experiences of the barn, my real focus is on our future.
I’ve thought a lot about what this move means to us and to our clients. It’s not just relocation for more space. We are on the verge of change. Whatever that threshold is (and I have no name for it) where a small business moves way beyond its beginnings to become something bigger, something better – that’s where we are now. And when we enter our new space, and locate our boxes and computers and set up at our new stations, we will have passed over that threshold.
So, with a full measure of optimism, we forge ahead.
